Sun Protection Tips & Tricks?

[CycleCat]

If I'm not wearing a wetsuit, I'll be in any inexpensive UPF shirt from Sierra Trading post. These work great under a wetsuit too to make them slide on easier.

If I can surface at the boat, I just put on a hat once on board. If I have any kind of surface swim, I'll usually wear a doo-rag which I can wear during my dive, does not interfere with my mask and maybe makes me more identifiable underwater. With no visor it doesn't offer sun protection to your nose and cheeks but at least the top of your head is covered. And it help me look like a pirate during SI!

 

[Kimela]

If you're diving without gloves, don't forget to put a dab of sunscreen on the back of your hands. That's one part of my body I've never once gotten a sunburn on topside, but have gotten it several times while diving

ThinkSport is my favorite sunscreen. It's reef-safe, nice on the skin, and smells faintly of Fruit Loops.

You may be interested in this similar thin hooded shirt, that also has a gaiter built in:

I use the Baleaf hooded shirts with ball cap and sunglasses. The shirts have thumb holes so protect hands a bit too.

 

[SlugLife]

had the cancer cut off twice so I now take care to cover every exposed part and stay in the shade when possible.

yikes.

I always where a hood regardless of water temperature. Apart from anything else, good sun protection when bobbing around on the surface, especially for baldies. Never sit in sun if it can be avoided.

Wearing a hood also offers advantages underwater. I may have bumped my head once or twice while scuba-diving. I'm better now about always putting my hands ahead of me any time visiblity drops to zero, but that doesn't make it quite impossible to bump into things. I might see if I can find a thinner hood for mid-summer conditions, or perhaps wear my hooded-vest.

Baleaf hooded shirt

This one looks almost identical to what I have, and reasonably priced too. I like how yours covers the face as well. I'll also need to add a ball-cap.

 

[ps444mike]

after a few skin cancers cut off (one started a tap root) sunblock often and covered up.. uv long sleeve shirts hats uv rated and uv a-b sunglasses.

 

[Kimela]

I wish there was a sunscreen I could put on my hands that didn't end up feeling greasy. After every dive trip I'm in good shape except for my hands. If I wear sleeveless shirts I have tanned hands and pale everything else! I need to be more diligent about keeping them covered or just use a bit of sunscren. I have that pullover hoodie that I wear on the dive boat, but I also got a couple of the Baleaf jackets to wear when walking around as well. They're very breathable - the fabric in the underarm area is a bit more of a mesh and I don't get overheated when wearing them.

 

[SlugLife]

I wish there was a sunscreen I could put on my hands that didn't end up feeling greasy.

Perhaps give this a try. It's one of the least greasy sunscreens I've used.

I've also heard of people using Zinc Oxide as a more "natural" sunscreen, mixing it with lotions. I'm not an expert on that, but it might be worth looking into.

I also got a couple of the Baleaf jackets to wear when walking around as well.

That looks almost perfect. I don't see an equivalent men's version, although this one is close.

 

[Brett Hatch]

I wish there was a sunscreen I could put on my hands that didn't end up feeling greasy. After every dive trip I'm in good shape except for my hands. If I wear sleeveless shirts I have tanned hands and pale everything else! I need to be more diligent about keeping them covered or just use a bit of sunscren. I have that pullover hoodie that I wear on the dive boat, but I also got a couple of the Baleaf jackets to wear when walking around as well. They're very breathable - the fabric in the underarm area is a bit more of a mesh and I don't get overheated when wearing them.

It's just the back of your hands, right? Squirt a little dab onto the back of one hand, and rub it in with the back of the other hand. Voila, grease-free palms

 

[lowwall]

I don't like sunscreen when diving. I use shade as much as possible. Availability of shade on the dive boats is a big factor when I'm choosing a dive op.

I also wear hooded sun shirts, including on the dive with the hood folded under. If I'm waiting on the surface after a dive, I'll pull the hood out to protect my bald head.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

We offer a selection of rash guards, matching lycra hoods and also separate pants which can be worn on the boat, in warm water and in many situations, under a typical scuba suit. Using fabric to stay protected from the sun and most stingers makes a lot of sense.

Wetsuits - Rash Guards & Dive Skins - MAKO Spearguns

The MAKO Spearguns dive skins are the best dive skins available.protecting your skin from harmful sun rays and also protect you from marine hazards such as fire coral and jellyfish.

makospearguns.com

 

[Kimela]

About 10 years ago I dragged Roger to my hormone replace doctor visit. It was a happy coincidence because she was a scuba diver; Roger happened to be wearing shorts that exposed a patch of bright pink skin on his shin that we thought was some sort of psoriasis and hadn't responded to any creams or ointments; and she noticed and asked if it got better when he was on dive trips (yes, it did). She told us about polypodium leucotomos. It's a pill (supplement) made from a Central/South American fern, and it helps to heal and protect skin. He'd tried everything else so he figured 'why not?'. Two weeks after starting it the patch was cleared up.

I take a boatload of supplements. I had stopped taking this one except for when on dive trips. Then I forgot to take it at all. I'm going to start it up again now that I've remembered it. It's not a big pill, and I purchased whatever popped up on amazon (Earth Natural Supplements). If you look at some sunscreens they now include it as an ingredient, and there are some pills for skin care that include it as well. I've had a grand total of 7 Mohs surgeries so I need to take this stuff seriously. Meanwhile, Roger walks around without using sunscreen and with his skin exposed to the sun with no harmful effects. Genetics!