Last week, I blogged about new FDA rules that should make it easier for you to find the right sunscreen. What I also want to mention is that you can step up your family's sun protection with UV blocking clothes. That doesn't just mean rash guards for kids to wear on the beach. These days, UV clothes come in all kinds of styles and choices.

More people are looking for sun protective clothing, especially designs that are a bit more fashionable that in the past. The latest study shows in increase in melanoma diagnoses in younger women, so making UV clothes more appealing to women could make a difference. I like Patagonia because they have options for the whole family and it's a great place to look for sun protective clothing when we are going on an active vacation. If you want sun protection in everyday clothes, Mott 50 has very fashionable options for men and women.

UV protective clothing has a different rating system than sunscreen, which uses UPF (ultraviolet protective factor) instead of SPF. The UPF system indicates how much ultraviolet radiation the fabric absorbs. UPF 50 is the highest rating a fabric can have. Normal clothing does offer some UV protection. The rule of thumb is, the tighter the weave, the higher the sun protection. So you don't need a whole new wardrobe for sun activities. Wearing sunscreen is your best bet. UV clothing is icing on the cake.

As parents, we make our kids wear hats and put on sunscreen before they play outdoors, but how good are you about protecting your own skin?