I usually wear a hat or a cap outdoors. It's an affectation I've cultivated in recent years as a kind of fashion statement, matching some other part of my attire, eg shoes, socks, shorts or T-shirt. A cap by day and a straw hat in the evening.
[© Dreamstime]
But a head covering has a more important role to play in Andalucia, which enjoys 300 sunshine days a year, as protection against sunburn.
What the experts say .....
According to doctors, in particular dermatologists, we should not neglect protecting our scalps from the sun.
Our hair, if we still have some, does not prevent melanoma. An increasing number of scalp tumours are being detected. Eight out of every 10 people between the ages of 16 and 25 get sunburnt when exposed to the sun (survey by the Piel Sana foundation).
In Spain, around 8,000 new cases of scalp melanomas will be diagnosed in 2026.
[© DermNet]
"As awareness campaigns become more effective, people seek medical advice straightaway, leading to early diagnosis and a better prognosis", according to the AEDV (Spanish Association of Dermatology and Venereology).
Furthermore, dermatologists are clear that from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm it's best to stay in the shade.
[© Metro]
Endword
I've lost count of the number of items of headgear I own. Cloth caps (gorras) and baseball caps, in a range of colours, and straw hats (some made of paper) in different styles and hues.
And I rarely pay more than about 3,99 euros - a small price to pay for all that protection against the burning sun.
© Pablo de Ronda MMXXVI
Images:
DermNet, Dreamstime, Metro
Thanks:
Google Images, Julia Fernandez, Paul Whitelock, SUR in English
Tags:
300 sunshine days, Andalucia, AEDV, baseball cap, cloth cap, dermatologist, DermNet, doctor, Dreamstime, fashion statement, Google Images, gorra, Julia Fernandez, melanoma, Metro, Pablo de Ronda, Paul Whitelock, Piel Sana foundation, scalp tumour, shade, straw hat, sunburn, SUR in English