Archive for August, 2011

Dangers of Chlorine; For You and Your Clothing

August 31, 2011 at 10:06 am · Filed under A Day in the Life of..., Skinz Newz ·Tagged , , , , , ,

What is chlorine?

We know from general knowledge that chlorine is a chemical put into pools to ward off bacteria and other harmful substances (aka floaters!). HA! Thank goodness for chlorine! Once it’s put into water the chlorine solution breaks up into many different chemicals, including  hypochlorite ions and hypochlorous acid. They kill organisms by attacking the lipids in the cell walls and destroying enzymes and structures inside the cells causing them to become “oxidized and harmless”, to keep our swimming pools safe for swimming. Even though we are thankful for the benefits of chlorine there is still that smell…The smell is a familiar “summer-time” smell. The good ‘ole smell of our chemical-buddies, hypochlorite and hypochlorous, putting in long hours to keep our pool water safe. Just don’t take too big of a whiff, remember chlorine is a chemical.

 But what about us?! What about our uv-protective UV Skinz swim shirts?!

What are the risks associated with swimming in chlorinated H2o?

  • It can irritate skin and trigger rashes; eczema
  • It can cause burning, itchy eyes
  • It can aggravate and/or trigger bronchial problems; even asthma
  • It can have a bleaching effect on hair and clothing

It is definitely the hypochlorite ion that causes fabrics to fade quickly when not rinsed off immediately. The result? Worn and faded looking clothing…

Chlorine-damaged swim shirt...warped!

Chlorine left in clothing can cause the chemicals to eat away at the fibers of a fabric. You rinse the chlorine out of your hair--don't forget your swim shirt!

All of our UV Skinz products are made to be chlorine-resistant. Which means that they will keep their color and shape longer than non-chlorine resistant clothing, BUT you will see the side-effects of chlorine eventually. It’s just that the damage is slowed down. I have seen more than one UV Skinz swim shirt go through three seasons (at the least), from normal wear to hand-me-downs. As you can see from the pics above, the chlorine-damage is undeniable. That kind of damage only happens due to neglect. Treat your UV Skinz how it deserves to be treated. It’s giving you all-day sun protection against 98% of UVA and UVB rays. It’s soft to the touch and dries quickly. Not to mention you look darn cute in it, that’s pretty awesome if you ask me! You live in your Skinz so make it last!

If you want your swim shirt to stand the test-of-time then you must follow the steps below.

AVOID CHLORINE DAMAGE!

Chlorine-damage...melted!

  • Rinse your clothing (with yourself in them) with cool clear water immediately after swimming.
  • Wash clothing with mild detergent after each use. I prefer a cold wash and rinse.
  • Allow to air-dry.
  • Do not let your swim shirts soak and fester in a small wet heap at the bottom of the stairs. If you can’t wash right away then do your shirts a courtesy and at least rinse them.
  • DO rinse, wash, wear and REPEAT. :-)

Turn that frown upside-down! Rinse and wash that chlorine out of your UV Skinz! :-)

Source:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/science-questions/question652.htm

http://safety.lovetoknow.com/Dangers_of_Pool_Chlorine

http://wardrobeadvice.com/does-pool-chlorine-damagebleach-clothing/

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Wordless Wednesday

August 31, 2011 at 1:15 am · Filed under A Day in the Life of... ·Tagged ,

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Ban The Tan Highlights!

August 26, 2011 at 10:45 pm · Filed under Prevention, Skinz Newz ·Tagged , , , , , ,

In case you missed the most awesome Twitter Party to date, Ban The Tan! I’ve compiled some highlights, facts, quotes and the myths that we discussed during the party. I was pleased that Donna Helm Regen was my guest host. She has a great passion for raising awareness about this preventable disease since she lost her daughter to Melanoma. The UV Skinz team also joined in on the fun!  It was also so great to have Samantha Guild from AIM at Melanoma to support our Party and get the message out on how people can get involved with tanning bed legislation. It all came down to education! Educating our children and educating each other. Then doing it over and over and over again. Until the word is out there and people realize the dangers of tanning.

Enjoy the quotes–it was awesome to get some really true and candid Tweets!

#banthetan Quotes!:

  • “Natural is certainly healthier.”
  • “No tan is worth your life.”
  • “Remember that tan = damaged skin; damaged skin = damaged DNA; damaged DNA = welcome mat for Melanoma.”
  • “I like the shade myself. Pasty and proud!”

Thanks to Samantha from AIM we all learned some really interesting facts about Melanoma! If you would like more information on how you can support tanning bed legislation in your state feel free to email sguild@aimatmelanoma.org or call 916-706-0599.

Facts (Courtesy of AIM at Melanoma):

  • Melanoma is the 13th most expensive cancer in the U.S. Costing $2.36 billion in medical expenditures in 2010.
  • Only 32 states have statutes that regulate indoor tanning beds.
  • CA, NY, NJ, PA, and are RI are considering legislation to ban minors under 18.
  • Some sun beds emit UV radiation 5 times the strength of the midday sun.

During our discussion I posed some truth/myth questions to keep the convo going. Most everyone responded with the correct answers. Kudos to our followers who are up to date on their Melanoma and tanning bed facts!

Myths:

  • “Tanning beds aren’t addicting, I could stop if I want to.”

While not everyone who goes tanning is an addict, a new study has shown that frequenters of a tanning salon may be suffering from a form of addiction. Tanorexia.

  • “Getting a base tan from a tanning salon will protect my skin from sun damage.”

Tanning beds emit high intensity UV rays, which cause deep skin damage and over time are linked with the development of skin cancer.

  • “Tanning gives my skin a healthy glow.”

There is no such thing as a healthy tan. Any change in your natural skin color is a sign of damage. Not only can tanning cause skin cancer, in the long run, too much exposure to the sun may change the skin’s texture, giving it a tough, leathery appearance.

  • “I don’t go very often, so the rays won’t affect my skin.”

UVA and UVB rays are damaging to the skin – regardless of how often you are exposed.  Even the person that tans once a month is risking aging their skin.

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Wordless Wednesday

August 17, 2011 at 1:57 am · Filed under A Day in the Life of... ·Tagged , ,

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Ban The Tan Twitter Party

August 15, 2011 at 6:49 pm · Filed under A Day in the Life of..., Melanoma Newz, Skinz Newz ·Tagged , , , , ,

In just a few short days UV Skinz along with Donna Helm Regen, Melanoma actvist, will be hosting our  first Twitter Party together! If you are wondering what a Twitter Party is then I have the answer for you. Thanks to the Twitter Party Guide! This site has everything you need to know about Twitter Parties and a huge following to help make your twitter party a success.

So, What exactly is a Twitter Party?

A twitter party is a fast and fun virtual party, using the twitter platform. Usually held in the evening, twitter parties typically last 1-2 hours and are a wonderful way for people to connect and discuss a topic of choice. Most twitter parties have an expert panelist and party host to keep the party on topic.

What are the benefits of attending a Twitter Party?

Twitter parties are a great way to connect with new friends using the power of social media. People get together for fun, friends and support. Often times twitter parties have some great prizes to give away.

This Thursday, Twitter will be the place to be, especially if you want to learn about the myths and truths on the use of tanning salons, how you can take action to help raise awareness about the dangers of minors using tanning beds and have a chance to win some fabulous prizes!!

You’re Invited!!

We invite you to join us for the Ban The Tan Twitter Party with guest host Donna Helm Regen,  Melanoma advocate. Donna became passionate about raising awareness on the dangers of tanning for minors after she lost her daughter, Jaime, to a 9-year battle with melanoma. You can read more about Jaime in her mother’s words in her Photo Story Friday feature. Donna tweets her way around Twitter with the Twitter handle, @melanoma_mama.

The fun starts at 3:00 P.M. PST on Thursday, August 18th. We will be using the hashtag #thebantan.

Tweet Grid is up and live! Make sure you bookmark the link!…http://is.gd/Fzfy0b

You Could Win!!

During the party we will be asking you the myths and truths on the use of tanning salons. There will be discussion on how you can become invovled in banning minors from using tanning beds. Your answer might just win you a prize!

Don’t forget, it all happens on Thursday, August 18th,  from 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. PST. The hashtag for the party is #banthetan.

Will you be there?

Please RSVP with your twitter handles in the comment selection below. To be eligible to win giveaway prizes make sure you RSVP and follow:

We hope to see you there RSVP below by leaving a comment with your Twitter handle!

Make sure you are ready for August 18th! Follow UV Skinz on Twitter @uvskinz

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