Hats Don't Protect You from the Sun as Well as You May Think

It’s that time of the year again—hats have officially transitioned from a fashion statement to a weapon in the war against UV rays. But do they really offer much in the way of protection from the sun’s damaging effects?

A little bit—but definitely not enough for you to forgo using SPF on your face and any exposed areas of your body. "Wearing a hat provides instant shade, which increases your cumulative total sun protection factor by at least 10,” says Ava Shamban, M.D., a dermatologist in Beverly Hills. "Regardless of whether [or not] you wear a hat, you need to apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 because ultraviolet light is reflected off of surfaces." Remember to stick to this rule: Apply about a shot glass worth of SPF to your entire body, and reapply every two hours.