Poor availability in Ireland of hats meeting sun-protective standards

Abstract

Hats aid in reducing exposure to both direct and diffuse ultraviolet light, but hats are of mixed styles and the resultant sun-protection value is variable. Adult male patients have higher rates of skin cancer, especially of the head and neck, than other subgroups. The UK and Australia have set standards for what constitutes a sunhat, whereas no such standard exists in Ireland. We explored adult male sunhats for sale during the summer in a single urban region in the west of Ireland. All the hats available were compared with the UK standard, BS 8466:2006. Almost 90% of the hats available did not meet this standard and thus did not offer adequate sun protection. Ireland requires legislation on what constitutes a sun-hat and more availability and visibility of such hats for men to encourage the use of hats for photoprotection.