Buy-Rash-Guards.com Blog

Researchers were recently happy to announce that an experimental drug called ipilimumab, (ip-ee-LIM-uh-mab), has shown to significantly improve survival rates in people with advanced melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.

The drug works by helping the immune system fight tumors. The FDA has pledged a quick review, and doctors are hopeful that the drug could be available by the end of 2010.

“We have not had any therapy that has prolonged survival” until now, said Dr. Lynn Schuchter of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, a skin cancer specialist with no role in the study or ties to the drug’s maker.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. Last year in the US, there were about 68,000 new cases and 8,650 deaths from the disease. Worldwide, more than 50,000 people die of melanoma each year.

“The incidence is rising faster than any other cancer,” said one of the study’s leaders, Dr. Stephen Hodi of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “When it spreads to vital organs, it’s almost always fatal.”

Unfortunately many people don’t think of skin cancer as a ‘killer’ and fail to protect themselves as well as they should. That’s why we’re committed to selling the highest SPF 150 rash guards and UV protective swim shirts available.

Whether you’re a professional surfer or a professional secretary you’ve probably suffered with low back pain.

The low back area is one of the most common area for injuries that doctors see patients for. In fact, low back injuries affect, and will at some time debilitate, over 80% of the adult population in the industrialized world!

Our friends over at Surfline have published a terrific article on low back care and maintenance with stretching, strengthening and endurance building exercises that anyone, (not just athletic types), will benefit from.

You can read their article by clicking here…

This bit of info may surprise you, (it did surprise us here at Buy Rash Guards)… but did you know that salmonella in turtle feces can end up on their shells and body, and can spread to people who handle them?

In fact several people who swam with pet turtles in a backyard pool were among 107 people sickened in the largest salmonella outbreak blamed on turtles nationwide in the 2007-2008 season.

The outbreak that year involved mostly children in 34 states and 1/3 of all patients had to be hospitalized. In most cases, parents didn’t know that turtles can carry salmonella.

So it may actually be safer to swim with sharks than to swim with turtles!

We all know that wearing a rash guard shirt and sunscreen are both terrific ways to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and help prevent skin cancer, but some people may need to be extra vigilant if they have a family history of skin cancer.

A pair of studies recently released found that some types of skin cancer can be inherited.

One study found that if you have an identical twin with melanoma your risk of developing the disease is much higher than having a fraternal twin with this type of skin cancer. The other study found that if you have a sibling or parent with one of several different types of non-melanoma cancers that your skin cancer increased risk as well.

Even if you don’t have a family history of skin cancer you should still take precautions to protect your skin because you don’t want to be the first in your family to get it – so always wear a brimmed hat, UV protective clothing and   whenever you’re out in the sun. 

OK ladies – this is your lucky week: Now thru this Friday we’re putting ALL of our women’s rash guards on sale!!

Summer is finally here and we want to help you look stylish AND protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays and lower your potential for skin cancer with our line of UV protective clothing.

We can’t stress enough that if you’re going to be in and around the water this Summer you NEED to get a couple of these fantastic UV shirts because they will provide you with SPF 150 protection that won’t wash off or need to be re-applied to last all day.

To take advantage of this week’s sale all you have to do is use coupon code womens-rashguard after you put one or more of these  swim shirts in your shopping cart.

Protect your skin and protect you bathing suit with one of our stylish and figure enhancing rash guard shirts for women.

A shout out to all of our customers in Southern California – tomorrow from 10am-6pm the city of Venice is holding their FREE Eco-Fest 2009 at the Recreation Area at Windward Ave and Ocean Front Walk.

This year’s Eco-Fest will feature over 150 exhibitors, a beer garden, a parade, a vegetarian food court, an art exhibit, and over 15 bands and performers to keep you entertained ALL DAY – Talk about bang for your buck!!

There will be fun for the whole family and lots to look at and learn so head down early and make a day of it down at Venice Beach! Of course we would be remiss if we didn’t remind you to wear some UV protective clothing and bring rash guard swim shirts in case you decide to take a dip in the chilly Pacific Ocean while you’re there. 

Our revolutionary new KoreDry / StayDry swim shirts  are a ‘must have’ for anyone going in the water and who needs the highest SPF protection available.
Super soft, breathable and water resistant – they also wear well with a classy look so you’ll look great wet or dry.

These swim shirts provide the same SPF 150 UV and rash protection as our rash guards but in a looser t-shirt style fit that looks stylish in our out of the water for the best looking UV protection money can buy.

This week for readers of our Buy-Rash-Guards blog can get an additional discount off these amazing UV protective shirts by using coupon code kore-dry-swim-shirt when you checkout, (make sure you use it AFTER you put the shirt in your shopping cart).

We here at Buy-Rash-Guards.com are all about UV protection as we know first hand how important it is to protect your skin from the harmful, cancer causing UV rays of the sun.

So we were excited to read about a team of researchers at the University of San Francisco, (UCSF), who have discovered a new and highly accurate way to distinguish malignant melanomas from benign moles by using genetic markers.

This method has proven to have a success rate over 90% compared to the typical biopsy which is examined microscopically. Researchers say that using this new method in conjunction with the standard microscopic examination will help diagnose difficult cases with much more accuracy.

As most people know, Melanoma is the deadliest and fasted spreading form of skin cancer. It can spread to almost any organ of the body and is difficult to treat in its advanced stages. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the higher the survival rate.

This is the first large-scale study to demonstrate both the high diagnostic accuracy and practicality of a multi-biomarker approach to melanoma diagnosis, according to Mohammed Kashani-Sabet, MD, professor of dermatology at UCSF and director of the Melanoma Center at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

We can’t say it enough but please be sure to protect your family’s skin when you’re in or around the water with one of our rash guard shirts… the life you save could be your own or one of your kids!

Here’s a great article we previously published but have been asked to re-post so here you go:

The following article will discuss the benefits of men’s rash guard use in competitive sports.

There are lots of sports that men compete in where rash guards should be considered an important part of their equipment.

Rash and UV protection are not only beneficial while participating in water sports such as surfing, body boarding, snorkeling and swimming, but also while fishing and boating as well as during contact sports such as martial arts.

A man is exposing his skin to harmful factors such as sunburns and irritating rash when competing in many of the competitive sports mentioned in the above paragraph. Wearing a rash guard will block harmful UV rays by providing SPF 150+ protection as well as provide a protective layer over his skin to eliminate any skin irritation.

A rashguard will give you more confidence and increase your sporting performance while protecting your skin. Without having to worry about sunburn and skin irritation you can remain focused on your sport and give your best performance possible.

Let’s take a look at the example of surfing. When men participate in surfing competitions, they are exposing their skin to several factors that can cause a rash, or other skin irritations including:
• continuous rubbing of his chest against the rough surface of his surf board
• prolonged exposure to the sun’s dangerous UV rays. Especially the back and shoulders
• prolonged exposure to the wind

A rash guard protects against sunburn and skin rash that is caused by all of these factors.

Rash guards are made from lycra material that is designed to block 97% of the sun’s UV rays and guard your skin with SPF 150+ protection while you’re surfing. Unlike any other sun block products rash guards do not need reapplication – their protection stays on in the water.

Men’s rash guards are available in short sleeve as well as long sleeve to provide the best protection you can get for whatever sport you’re playing.

Rash guards are an important piece of sporting equipment because they not only protect your skin but they also enhance your sporting performance. You can keep your head in the game and not have to worry about sunburn, irritating rash or having to remember to reapply your sun block.

Check out our complete selection of men’s rash guards at Buy-Rash-Guards.com today!

Here’s a great article we previously published but have been asked to re-post so here you go:

This informative article will discuss how kids rash guards can protect your child while they’re participating in outdoor sports.

Whether it’s soccer, swimming, football, baseball or a host of other team or individual activities, kids are playing outdoor sports at younger and younger ages. This means that parents are purchasing lots of expensive sunscreen products which they have to reapply throughout the day as their children sweat and rub the products off.

But we have some good news as this expensive and inconvenient process is no longer necessary!

Rash guards will now protect your young athlete’s skin and block up to 97 percent of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays from ever reaching your child’s skin.

UV protective clothing, especially kids rashguards, are playing a bigger and bigger role in childrens’ outdoor sports these days. And rash guards are not just limited to water sports.

Rash guards are designed from tightly-woven lycra and nylon materials that will not only block harmful UV rays from reaching your child’s skin with an SPF rating of 150+, but will also protect their skin from rashes and abrasions.

Rashguards dry very quickly since they are designed to be used in the water. This will help to prevent any skin irritation that may be caused by prolonged exposure to wet clothes. You don’t have to worry that your child will be uncomfortable while they wait to dry.

Kid rash guards come in both long and short sleeve styles to meet all your child’s competitive sports needs. No matter what your little athlete needs there is a childrens rash guard available to meet them!

Kid rash guards are available in a variety of colors and patterns that will appeal to both kids and their parents.

Available in bright solid colors or fun patterns, rashguards can be found to make even your smallest athlete happy and safe.

Now that rashguards are taking the place of expensive sun block products in kid’s competitive sports you can shop at www.Buy-Rash-Guards.com with confidence knowing that our high quality rash guards are made in the USA, provide SPF 150+ UV protection and will protect your child’s skin against many factors that can cause painful burn and rash when participating in outdoor competitive sports.

We came across a study published today that followed 681 caucasian children who were born in Colorado in 1998.

They found that each vacation spent at the beach was linked to a 5% increase in a specific type of small mole that is a risk factor for developing melanoma later in life.

“Parents of young children need to be cautious about taking their kids on vacations that are going to be sun-intensive at waterside locations, where people are outside for whole days at a time in skin-exposing swimsuits,” said Lori Crane, chair of the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at the Colorado School of Public Health.

You can read more about the study here…

Of course if you’re one of our regular customers here at Buy-Rash-Guards.com you know that proetcting you and your children from the harmful UV rays of the sun is our biggest concern.

Our line of rash guard swim and surf shirts are one of your best defenses against sunburns and skin cancer because they provide SPF 150+ protection that you wear – so it will not wash off or need to constantly be re-applied to keep you and your family protected.

See our entire line of kid’s rash guards, men’s rashguards and women’s rash guard shirts to get the coverage and protection you need for your entire family.

Just a reminder from us here at Buy Rash Guards that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

You know we’re all about preventing skin cancer but excluding cancer of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and nearly one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year, and more than 40,000 women will succumb to the disease. Right now, there are around 2 million women in the United States who have been treated for breast cancer.

The key to defeating this disease is an aggressive defense through appropriate mammograms, preventive medical care and the consistent availability of treatment for those who are diagnosed. The American Cancer Society recommends that women obtain their first baseline mammogram at age 35 and annual mammograms and clinical breast exams after age 40. Women ages 20 to 39 are recommended to have a clinical breast exam every three years. All women are advised to perform monthly breast self-exams.

We all know it can be expensive as well as toxic to try to take care of our skin and hair, (women as well as men), but our friends over at Happy Monkey Planet have just published a list of eco-friendly beauty treatments that you can make at home!

Click here to find recipes for things like teeth whitening, hair conditioning and some terrific facial masks all using safe, non-toxic ingredients from your kitchen that you can feel good about putting on your body and then washing down the drain.

Some of us here at Buy Rash Guards are going to try a couple of them and report back – we’d love to hear from any of you who give one or two of these recipes a try as well.

We’re all about protecting our skin and our environment.

Not all sunscreens are created equal and not all people should use them the same way.

There’s plenty of debate about the safety and effectiveness of today’s popular sunscreens, how and when to use them and whether the chemicals they contain are safe or potentially deadly.

Four out of five name-brand sunscreens contain chemicals that may pose health hazards or offer inadequate protection, according to the second annual sunscreen summary by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental research organization.

Leading brands – Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena – were the worst offenders, according to the group, which recommended 143 products at cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Only 15% of 952 products analyzed met EWG’s criteria for safety and effectiveness: blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards.

The EWG recommends avoiding sunscreens containing the commonly used chemical oxybenzone out of concern that it can disrupt hormones, cause allergic reactions and damage cells.

“It’s one of the most absorbed sunscreen blockers, which wouldn’t necessarily be a concern, but it has high toxicity issues,” said EWG senior analyst Sonya Lunder.

Many products on the market bear claims that are considered “unacceptable” or misleading under FDA’s draft sunscreen safety standards. Claims like “all day protection,” “mild as water,” and “blocks all harmful rays” are not true, yet are found on bottles. Until FDA sets an effective date for these standards, industry is free to use hyped claims.

Want to know how safe your sunscreen really is? Want to know which products are safe to use? Checkout their 2008 Sunscreen Safety Guide.

Of course we here at Buy-Rash-Guards believe strongly in protecting ourselves form the harmful UV rays of the sun AND lowering our exposure to harmful chemicals found in sunscreens – that’s why we offer a line of rash guard shirts that will provide you with SPF 150+ protection that won’t wash off, breakdown in sunlight or cause your body to absorb harmful chemicals.

You can use our rashguards in conjunction with a safe and effective sunscreen to safely lower your exposure to the UVA and UVB rays of the sun that cause skin cancer.

Summer is in full swing and your kids are out and about swimming and playing in the water all day long… but are they protected from the harmful UV rays of the sun?

We hope so – and this week we’re gonna help you by putting ALL of our kid’s rash guards on sale!

Sunscreens wash off and need to re-applied but the SPF 150+ protection of our rash guard shirts lasts all day long – wet or dry.

So protect your child’s skin from painful sunburns and rashes and lower their chances of developing skin cancer later in life by protecting their precious skin now.

Grab a rashguard or two – they’ll be glad you did.

· Do not let yourself burn.

· Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.

· Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.

· Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours. Wear a rash guard if you’re going to be in the water.

· Cover up with UV protective clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

· Seek the shade and avoid being in the sun when it’s the strongest between the hours of 10am-4pm.

· Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies older than 6 months.

· Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.

· See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.

- Source: Skin Cancer Foundation, www.skincancer.org

We all know we need to protect our skin from harmful UV rays by using sunscreen and rash guard shirts, but many people don’t realize that the same ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer can also damage our eyes. UV rays can damage the retina, which increases the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among older Americans. UV radiation can also damage the eye lens and cause cataracts and, in extreme cases, cancer of the eye.

The effects of UV radiation on the eyes are cumulative, so too much sun over a lifetime can cause permanent damage.

To prevent damage to your eyes, wear good sunglasses. Buy sunglasses that protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends buying sunglasses that have a tag certifying they block 99 to 100 percent of UV light.

Read more here…

Seems British researchers are claiming that as little as five tablespoons per day of tomato paste may protect skin from premature aging and skin cancer!

In their study, the British researchers had 10 volunteers consume approximately 55 grams of standard tomato paste and 10 grams of olive oil each day. A separate group of 10 participants consumed only the olive oil.

Three months later, samples from the group who consumed the tomato paste showed a 33% greater protection against sunburn and much higher levels of procollagen, a molecule in the skin that provides structure and firmness.

“The tomato diet boosted the level of procollagen in the skin significantly. These increasing levels suggest potential reversal of the skin aging process,” Professor Lesley Rhodes, a dermatologist at the University of Manchester, told BBC News.

However, some warned that the study was small and that tomatoes should be seen as a “helpful addition” rather than an alternative to sunscreen and UV protective clothing.

Forget the plastic surgery… Pass the pasta please.

Free head and neck cancer screening is being held today in the lobby of the Center for Health & Healing, 3303 S.W. Bond St., in Portland’s south waterfront. It runs until 4 p.m., is open to anyone and no appointments are necessary.

Oral, head and neck cancers continues to rise and they account for nearly 7 percent of the cancers diagnosed in the United States every year. Early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment. Signs of head and neck cancer can include: a sore in the mouth or on the skin that doesn’t go away; a long-standing, worsening sore throat or trouble swallowing; a change in the voice or a growth in the neck. Tobacco and alcohol use are the most important risk factors.

The free screening and awareness day is part of a nationwide oral, head and neck cancer awareness week sponsored by the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, Inc. The actor died in 1985 of lung cancer after overcoming a pre-malignant growth on his larynx.