What is the difference between UPF and SPF?
24. 4. 2023
First, let's stop at UV radiation. UV radiation is short for ultraviolet radiation, the natural source of which is the Sun. As a result of the increase in the ozone hole, there is a greater permeability of ultraviolet radiation, which can cause health risks to the skin and vision. This radiation is further divided into UVA and UVB. Ultraviolet "A" (UVA) radiation has a longer wavelength, is ubiquitous and invisible (it works even when it's cloudy), penetrates deep into the skin, and is associated with skin aging. Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation has a shorter wavelength and is associated with tanning and burning of the skin. Both UVA and UVB radiation are harmful, but it can be said that we often do not focus so much on UVA because this radiation is not as obvious as direct UVB radiation (tanning).
So what do the abbreviations SPF and UPF mean and why do we differentiate between them?
SPF and UPF are standards used to measure protection against sunburn. SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is used to measure the effectiveness of sunscreens and has been widely known for many years. Indicates the degree of protection against solar radiation. Simply put, SPF determines the time it takes for skin exposed to the sun to turn red. Without using sunscreen, we would burn in 10 minutes, sunscreen with SPF 15 extends this time by 15 times, so it provides protection for about 150 minutes.
A relatively new standard is UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor), which is used to determine the sun protection of textile materials and measures the amount of UV radiation that penetrates through the textile to the skin. In lycra clothing, we can find UPF from 15 to 50. This scale determines how much the fabric transmits the sun's rays, e.g. a fabric with a rating of 50 only transmits 1/50 of the sun's UV rays. This means that the fabric will significantly reduce the skin's exposure to UV radiation, as only 2% of UV rays will pass through. The benefit of UPF protection is that it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Unlike SPF, which can only protect against UVB rays (unless it is stated that it is a broad-spectrum cream).
