Being out fishing in the hot summer sun can take a toll on your skin. When you are young, you never think about the consequences of exposure to the sun. No one wants to think how the sun’s ultraviolet light can sag, stretch, or lose its elastic, but anglers can protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet rays by wearing appropriate clothing. Although well-known for its line of premium sunglasses Flying Fisherman saw the need for protective headwear they just came out with the SunBandit. The SunBandit is a UV protective garment for anglers to wear while out fishing.

The Flying Fisherman SunBandit (www.flyingfisherman.com) was designed to add UV protection for anglers during their fishing trips. Its 100% polyester absorbs and wicks moisture away from the anglers neck, ears, or facial areas. The material it’s made from is both breathable and wind resistant.

Are you still thinking that over-exposure to the sun will never affect you? Think again. Over time the exposure to the sun’s UV light will damage the fibers in the skin. A number of negative things can result including pre-cancerous, cancerous, skin lesions, benign tumors, wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, sallowness, telangiectasias, and elastosis. Some anglers are more at risk when it comes to skin cancer. Anglers with fair or freckled skin are more apt to burn, red hair, and light eyes are more at risk; in addition to any angler with a history of sunburns. Just the fact being outdoors in sunlight increases the odds of getting skin cancer.

There are several warning signs of skin cancer. Anglers need to watch for changes of their skin.
  •    Melanoma usually is a pigmented patch or bump. It looks like a regular mole, but more irregular.
  •    Basal cell carcinoma is a small, waxy bump on an angler’s neck, ears or face. It may also appear as brown or pink colored lesion on the arms or legs of an angler.
  •    Squamous cell carcinoma is a firm lesion that can appear anywhere on an angler. It is often red, flat, and scaly in appearance. 

When checking for melanoma, anglers need to remember the ABCD rule. If any of the following appear an angler should seek out medical assistance.
  •    A-Asymmetry: Mole, birthmark or other type of blemish anywhere on your skin that is not symmetric (same on both sides).
  •    B-Border: The border of the mole or birthmark is ragged, notched, irregular or blurred.
  •    C-Color: The mole or blemish is multicolored, consisting of brown, black, red, blurry, or white in varying shades and patterns.
  •    D-Diameter: The mole or blemish is more than ¼-inches across in size.
(ABCD rule by Victora Ries, eHow Contributor)
If skin cancer is diagnosed, anglers have a number of different treatments depending on their situation after a biopsy is performed.

Protective headwear sounds like a hardhat for anglers to wear. Something that’s bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable, but in reality they are really quite comfortable. The SunBandit is designed to shape any head or neck and versatile. It can be worn to cover your head, ears, and neck. It even comes in a number of fashionable color prints including rainbow trout camo, marlin camo, bass camo, redfish camo, tarpon camo, Mahi Mahi camo, fresh water lures, saltwater lures, tarpon head, bass head, and Flying Fisherman logo.

Now anglers can go fishing in style and protect themselves from skin cancer. It sounds like a no-brainer that could possibly save you from expensive medical treatment.