So I finally decided to put this whole thing to the test because I was getting so tired of people telling me that wearing a one piece is the only way to avoid a messy sunburn. I used to be such a bikini person but after a really bad burn on my stomach last summer I thought maybe it was time to join the one piece club and see if it actually makes a difference. I spent a full Saturday out at the beach just to see what would happen if I stayed in a suit with more coverage all day long. Honestly I went in thinking I would come home with zero tan lines on my torso but the reality was actually a lot more complicated than that. It turns out that just because you have fabric covering your skin it doesn't mean you are completely safe from the sun especially if you aren't paying attention to the details.
The mystery of the invisible sunburn
One thing I totally didn't expect was how much the sun can actually get through some of these thinner swimsuit fabrics. I bought this super cute white one piece thinking it would be perfect for the heat but by the time I got home I realized my skin was actually a bit pink underneath. It wasn't a full blown burn or anything but it was definitely a tan. I guess if the material is too thin or if it doesn't have a specific UPF rating the UV rays just kind of soak right through when the fabric gets stretched out over your body. It was a huge wake up call because I spent half the day thinking I was totally protected when I really wasn't.
Those weird tan lines you never asked for
The biggest shocker was definitely the tan lines around the edges of the suit. Since a one piece stays in one place way more than a bikini does the lines it leaves behind are incredibly sharp. I ended up with these really intense white patches on my hips that looked so strange compared to my tanned legs. Also if your suit has any of those trendy little cutouts or a deep back you are going to end up with some very interesting patterns on your skin. I have this weird diamond shaped tan on my lower back now that looks like a total accident and it is probably going to stay there for the rest of the summer which is kind of annoying.
Why the wet fabric factor actually matters
I also noticed that once the swimsuit got wet the sun seemed to hit my skin even harder. When you are swimming or just lounging in the shallow water the fabric gets heavy and clings to you which I think makes it less effective at blocking the rays. I noticed that the areas where the suit was the most soaked like my shoulders and chest actually got darker than the areas that stayed dry. It is something I never really thought about before but it makes sense that water would change how the material works. I probably should have been reapplying sunscreen under the suit but who actually does that right.
The trap of the false sense of security
Because I felt so covered up I totally neglected the rest of my body for a few hours. I was so focused on my stomach being safe that I completely forgot about my feet and the backs of my knees. By the time the sun started going down I realized I had made a huge mistake. My torso was fine for the most part but my legs were absolutely toasted. It is so easy to get overconfident when you are wearing a one piece because you feel like you have this armor on but the sun always finds a way to get you where you aren't looking.
My final verdict on the one piece life
At the end of the day I still think a one piece is way better for sun protection than a tiny bikini but it isn't some kind of magic shield. You still have to be smart about it and maybe look for suits that have thicker lining or darker colors because those definitely seem to block the light better. I am probably going to keep wearing mine for boat days when I know I will be out in the sun for hours but I will definitely be more careful about sunscreen next time. It is a learning process for sure but at least I didn't end up with a blistered stomach this time around which is a win in my book.
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