Atlanta – Handheld umbrellas may help protect people from harmful ultraviolet radiation, suggests a study from Emory University.
Researchers measured the UVR penetration of 23 umbrellas ranging in diameter from 61 to 127 centimeters. The sky was clear and the UV index was 8 (very high exposure). The umbrellas blocked 77 to 99 percent of UVRs, according to a press release from the JAMA Network, which published the study.
Black umbrellas blocked at least 90 percent of the radiation. White umbrellas did not provide as much protection.
The study was published online March 20 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.
