Sunny Denial is a Busy Place

Just another sunny day on the beach in Nice

My latest dangers feel like the newest drivers in the Houston area; all trying to hit me and never using turn signals. But if I avoid the rush hours and keep a far distance from them, I can make it safe and sound to the boat to relax. 

This spring has been nice and cool so much so that I have not thought about sunscreen much. I got my first redness-burn at the HYC opening ceremony forgetting how bright the sun was. Finally now I am pouring on the sunscreen again. 

 

I had always been good about applying sunscreen since high school. After returning from the pebble beaches of Nice and seeing all the old ladies that looked like the witches from Clash of the Titans, I used sunscreen, big floppy hat, sunglasses, & long flowing hippy skirts with a healthy glow to my skin, not a tan. I tried the numerous chemical tanning creams but they all made my skin smell like meat tenderizer, not a good smell for a vegetarian.

My work put me out in the heat of the Texas Sun 5-6 days a week, but I was always fully covered with the wide-brimmed hard hat and eye protection, knocking back catbriar and saplings. 

So I guess my lapse in judgment for lacking sunscreen is a recent problem and the lack of proper clothing protection since we got the boat. 

I would prefer to stay in a bikini all day long than my old armor of jeans, flannel shirt, steeltoe boots, leather gloves, and hardhat.  Realizing again that the sunscreen is not enough (I was in denial-Egypt I will miss you). This sun and my new age is changing my skin, so back to the proven treatments of hydrate, lotion, sunscreen, hat, glasses, flowing tight dresses, & exercise... 

 

Apparently denial is a busy place:

MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX finds that more than 2 million Americans will be diagnosed this year with skin cancer. Most skin cancers, the most common cancer in the U.S., is caused by too much exposure to the sun.

Most are highly curable, but one form – malignant melanoma – is much more serious. The number of people with melanoma has increased by more than 100% since 1973. 

Luckily, skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent and detect. And, be sure to map your moles and scan your skin everywhere for any unusual spots or growths. 

 

USA Today article(April 8, 2013): Despite decades of repetition, many of us fail to follow that skin-saving advice - and a new study shows that's true even for people who have had the most serious form of skin cancer.

More than a quarter of people who have had melanoma say they never use sunscreen, according to the study presented at a medical meeting Monday. Even greater numbers eschew hats and long sleeves, and 2% admit they have used a tanning bed in the last year, say researchers from Yale University, who presented the data at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.

Cancer survivors are a bit more careful than the rest of us: 32% always wear sunscreen, while just 17% of other adults do. Overall, they also are more likely to wear hats and long sleeves and stay in the shade. But when compared with others with the same age, race and insurance coverage, the differences are only significant when it comes to sunscreen use, says researcher Anees Chagpar. In other words, a 40-year-old white person with insurance coverage who has been through cancer treatment is just as likely to use a tanning bed or go outside without a wide-brimmed hat as one who has not.

The study of nearly 27,000 people included 171 who said they had a history of melanoma, which, like other skin cancers, is linked to sun exposure and indoor tanning. It is most common in people with fair skin and a history of sunburns, and it can run in families. It will kill about 9,000 people in the USA this year, according to the non-profit Skin Cancer Foundation.

Survivors are 9 times more likely than other people to have melanoma in the future, so experts advise them to take their skin protection seriously.

"When someone is first diagnosed, they are practicing sun protection, but as the years go by, maybe they tend to fall back on their old habits," she says. "A lot of melanoma survivors have told me that it is very important for them to maintain a normal outdoor lifestyle."

Skin Damage &Cancer Prevention Tips:

A. Wear Sunscreen

1. Choose your sunscreen wisely: Select one that protects you from both UV-A and UV-B rays. UV-B rays cause sunburns, but UV-A rays also increase your risk for skin cancer.
2. Use an SPF of at least 30: SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. Keep in mind that protection provided by an SPF does not increase proportionately with the designated SPF number. SPF 15 absorbs 93% of the sun's burning rays. SPF 30 absorbs about 97% of the sun's burning rays, while SPF 45 absorbs about 98%. The SPF number on sunscreens only reflects the product's screening ability for UVB rays. No sunscreen or SPF will completely protect you from the sun.
   Soon new pill out to help block rays from South America, fernblock (Heliocare) extracts from Polypodium leucotomos
3. Apply sunscreen liberally: Apply one ounce of sunscreen (about the size of a ping-pong ball) to every part of your body exposed to the sun. Unprotected skin can be damaged in as little as 15 minutes. Don't forget the ears, feet and behind the neck. Your skin can take up to 30 minutes to absorb sunscreen, so be sure  to apply it about 30 minutes before going outside. 
4. Remember to reapply sunscreen: Once you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating. Even waterproof sunscreen loses its effectiveness due to humidity, perspiration, swimming and uneven application."Properly applying sunscreen on a regular basis greatly reduces a person's exposure to the sun's harmful rays but it does not eliminate sun exposure, so it is a good idea to take additional sun safety precautions." 
5. Wear lip balm: Apply lip balm with SPF 30 or higher and reapply it every two hours. 
6. All sunscreens are safe to use on a daily basis. No evidence exists that suggests daily use of sunscreen is unsafe. People have asked about sunscreens being too effective and contributing to vitamin D deficiency. This is unlikely because regular sunscreen use does not eliminate sun exposure. Taking a daily supplement of vitamin D can further alleviate concerns about this issue.
7. Environmental conditions that affect sunscreen efficacy: Because an SPF measurement is the most protection a person can receive under the best possible conditions, sunscreens often do not perform up to labeled SPF ratings: because of wind, humidity, perspiration and facial movement, uneven product application, & waiting too long to reapply.

B. Cover Up

1. Wear sunglasses with UV protection: Choose wrap-around sunglasses that absorb at least 99% of UV rays to protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes.
2. Wear a hat with a wide brim: The wide brim will shield your face, neck, ears and chest from the sun. Wear a hat that is tightly woven so the sun can't peek through. If you don't have a hat, carry a parasol made of a thick, dark-colored fabric.
3. Wear sun-protective clothing: The sun's rays can still burn you if you're wearing clothes. So wear special sun-protective swimsuits, shirts, shorts and jackets with a ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) as high as 50. If you can't find clothes with UPF, wear tightly woven, dark-colored fabrics.
4. Wear clothes that cover more of your skin: Leggings, long dresses, tunic tops, scarves, one-piece bathing suits can provide your body extra protection against the UV-A and UV-B rays. 

C. Plan Your Day

• Seek shade between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.: This is when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are typically strongest. If you must be outdoors during this time, seek shade.
• Make a travel-size sun-safety kit: Create a travel size kit with all the items you need to keep your family sun-safe, including sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, lip balm with SPF 15 or higher, a hat, long-sleeved shirt, and sunglasses with UV protection.
• Never expose babies to direct sunlight: Shield them with protective clothing when out during the day. Sunscreens should not be applied to infants under 6 months of age.

D. Avoid Tanning Beds

• Don’t use tanning beds: There's no such thing as a healthy tan. Tanning beds expose you to the same ultraviolet (UV) radiation as the sun and have been linked to the development of skin cancer. People who use tanning beds are significantly more likely to develop melanoma than those who don't. If you insist on darkening your skin, try safe self-tanning products.

E. Screening Exams

Get Naked.  Check Everywhere.

Having one or more risks for skin cancer does not mean you will definitely get the disease. It means that you may be more likely to get skin cancer. Persons at increased risk for skin cancer include:

• Have red or blond hair, fair skin, freckles, and blue or light-colored eyes
• Live in sunny climates
• Have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
• Have a personal history of skin cancer
• Work around coal, tar, arsenic compounds, creosote, pitch and paraffin oil
• Have damaged skin, such as a major scar or burn
• Have actinic keratosis, a precancerous condition of thick, scaly patches of skin. It may also appear as a cracking or peeling lower lip that does not heal with lip balm.
  

Promptly show your health care provider any:

• Suspicious skin area
• Sore that doesn’t heal
• Change in a mole or freckle