Back in the day when I was in my teens in the 1970s, laying out in the sun all day and frying your skin like a french fry was cool, or so we thought. Girls wanted additional color, for if we had it we'd look prettier. As an Irish gal who had skin that burned quite easily, I was envious of my friends that were Italian that browned quickly showing no red or pink skin. I wanted to look like them and the super models in magazines that were thin and tan, who had men flocking all around them. Spending the day in the heat and in the blazing sun seemed harmless, but oh if I had only listened to my grandmother who preached to me that the suns rays were harmful. She told me that if I wanted to look 60 when I was a 40 to just keep laying out there where I would have leather like skin later in life. She said that freckles were beautiful and fair skin without blemishes were far better than basking in the sun and being in pain for a few days due to the sunburn, not to mention having lizard-like skin. She said to listen to her and that some day I would thank her for the advice. I only wish she were here to thank now. As an adult I now know far more than I did then.
We had a pool growing up and I tried everything to get color. Tanning oils were too expensive so we took moms sticks of butter and cooking oil from the pantry and coated out skin with these. You might have well basted us like a turkey and put us in the oven because the sun baked us within hours. We were young and naive and not well educated about UV rays and harmful issues that the sun could cause. 20+ years later my life changed…I learned after going to the dermatologist that those old burn days along with genetic traits had finally caught up with me. I learned that the sun which I saw as beauty had become my worst enemy, now the beast.
I had a biopsy and I was diagnosed with basal cell skin cancer in my mid 30s. After routine checkups and biopsies it returned again, and again. For the next 2-7 years it kept coming back and I would have to repeat surgery. It was later that I was diagnosed with melanoma. My 4th surgery was my last. I had MOHS surgery, also known as chemosurgery. This surgery is rated 77-98% depending on the surgeon. MOHS cure rate of 95% for frown sections of Mohs and 98-99% for fixed tissue Mohs Method. (which is what I ended up having.) I had a mole on my right abdominal wall that was removed and never got the biopsy results. My stomach area was also the burn zone for the sun. Seems my belly attracted something far more than sunshine.
I have been in remission now for 6 years, happy to be CANCER FREE and it has not come back. I go in for check ups regularly and since my mid 30s when I was first diagnosed with this disease, I am very careful and protective of the harmful suns rays that at one time I worshiped. To younger women reading this I say; PLEASE, keep your youthful beauty. Protect your skin, for your body is your house and it is the only one that you will ever have so guard it and keep it safe. Treat it well and it will protect you. If I only knew then what I know now…
Lounging around in the hot sun with a cool cocktail might seem pretty relaxing, especially if your are on the beach or at the pool, but oh can this be dangerous if you don't pay attention to what your body may be telling you. If you are going to be cocktailing on a hot day please try to avoid direct sunlight and drink water in between frequently. If you get too intoxicated by a pool or on the beach you will most likely fail to realize that your in the danger zone not only for sunburn rather dehydration or possible heat stroke. It doesn't have to be June, July or August when many of us celebrate the summer months. I love the sun, however, I've learned to protect my body better can cover areas that would commonly be exposed. I wear a sun hat and thank you Prada for protecting my eyes. The sun is out year round and it is waiting to make you its next victim. Take precautions!
6 TIPS for SUN CARE:
1) Avoid the sun when their rays are at their most intense time (11am-4pm) The higher the sun in the sky, the more harmful the ultraviolet radiation will be.
2) Wear enveloping sunglasses with a high anti-UV factor. Wear a wide rimmed hat that is loose fitting, and if possible try to wear long sleeved t-shirts or bermuda shorts or pants.
3) Don't trust your impressions. Beware of those infrared rays…they can be deceitful. They are what makes your skin feel hot, not the UV rays so if your skin is tingling…get the hell out of the sun!
4) Opt for shaded area verse sun nonetheless remember, those rays can burn you even if it is cloudy or on an overcast day.
5) If you are on certain medications, they can cause you to burn twice as fast, so read the labels and talk to your doctor.
6) WEAR PROTECTIVE SUNSCREEN…WATERPROOF, SWEATPROOF, EVERYTHING PROOF! Remember that this is going to need to be reapplied every few hours. It's not like deodorant where it works for 24 hours at a time.
Some people only think that they can burn in the summer time and when the sun is bright and full. Listen, it does not have to be hot and humid to get sunburn. You have a 30% chance of getting burnt in the cold winter months out side shoveling snow just the same if the sun is out, so always protect your skin. You have an 80% chance of burning if you're in water, so even though you might think it is cool to sit in the hot tub on your deck in the middle of winter, protect your skin as it is reflected off the sun and water. Going white water rafting, kayaking or canoeing? Do you do yard work? Do you tinker in the garden? If the answer is YES..WEAR SUNSCREEN! Don't become a statistic!
We had a pool growing up and I tried everything to get color. Tanning oils were too expensive so we took moms sticks of butter and cooking oil from the pantry and coated out skin with these. You might have well basted us like a turkey and put us in the oven because the sun baked us within hours. We were young and naive and not well educated about UV rays and harmful issues that the sun could cause. 20+ years later my life changed…I learned after going to the dermatologist that those old burn days along with genetic traits had finally caught up with me. I learned that the sun which I saw as beauty had become my worst enemy, now the beast.
I had a biopsy and I was diagnosed with basal cell skin cancer in my mid 30s. After routine checkups and biopsies it returned again, and again. For the next 2-7 years it kept coming back and I would have to repeat surgery. It was later that I was diagnosed with melanoma. My 4th surgery was my last. I had MOHS surgery, also known as chemosurgery. This surgery is rated 77-98% depending on the surgeon. MOHS cure rate of 95% for frown sections of Mohs and 98-99% for fixed tissue Mohs Method. (which is what I ended up having.) I had a mole on my right abdominal wall that was removed and never got the biopsy results. My stomach area was also the burn zone for the sun. Seems my belly attracted something far more than sunshine.
I have been in remission now for 6 years, happy to be CANCER FREE and it has not come back. I go in for check ups regularly and since my mid 30s when I was first diagnosed with this disease, I am very careful and protective of the harmful suns rays that at one time I worshiped. To younger women reading this I say; PLEASE, keep your youthful beauty. Protect your skin, for your body is your house and it is the only one that you will ever have so guard it and keep it safe. Treat it well and it will protect you. If I only knew then what I know now…
Lounging around in the hot sun with a cool cocktail might seem pretty relaxing, especially if your are on the beach or at the pool, but oh can this be dangerous if you don't pay attention to what your body may be telling you. If you are going to be cocktailing on a hot day please try to avoid direct sunlight and drink water in between frequently. If you get too intoxicated by a pool or on the beach you will most likely fail to realize that your in the danger zone not only for sunburn rather dehydration or possible heat stroke. It doesn't have to be June, July or August when many of us celebrate the summer months. I love the sun, however, I've learned to protect my body better can cover areas that would commonly be exposed. I wear a sun hat and thank you Prada for protecting my eyes. The sun is out year round and it is waiting to make you its next victim. Take precautions!
6 TIPS for SUN CARE:
1) Avoid the sun when their rays are at their most intense time (11am-4pm) The higher the sun in the sky, the more harmful the ultraviolet radiation will be.
2) Wear enveloping sunglasses with a high anti-UV factor. Wear a wide rimmed hat that is loose fitting, and if possible try to wear long sleeved t-shirts or bermuda shorts or pants.
3) Don't trust your impressions. Beware of those infrared rays…they can be deceitful. They are what makes your skin feel hot, not the UV rays so if your skin is tingling…get the hell out of the sun!
4) Opt for shaded area verse sun nonetheless remember, those rays can burn you even if it is cloudy or on an overcast day.
5) If you are on certain medications, they can cause you to burn twice as fast, so read the labels and talk to your doctor.
6) WEAR PROTECTIVE SUNSCREEN…WATERPROOF, SWEATPROOF, EVERYTHING PROOF! Remember that this is going to need to be reapplied every few hours. It's not like deodorant where it works for 24 hours at a time.
Some people only think that they can burn in the summer time and when the sun is bright and full. Listen, it does not have to be hot and humid to get sunburn. You have a 30% chance of getting burnt in the cold winter months out side shoveling snow just the same if the sun is out, so always protect your skin. You have an 80% chance of burning if you're in water, so even though you might think it is cool to sit in the hot tub on your deck in the middle of winter, protect your skin as it is reflected off the sun and water. Going white water rafting, kayaking or canoeing? Do you do yard work? Do you tinker in the garden? If the answer is YES..WEAR SUNSCREEN! Don't become a statistic!
