How do you protect yourself against skin cancer?
May 17th, 2004, 10:56 AM
#1
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How do you protect yourself against skin cancer?
Its sun burn season again and thousands more will be diagnosed with malignant melanoma as I was several years ago. I'm doing fine. I am Very Very lucky and this not about me.
I saw a doctor about a suspicious brown spot on my skin several years ago because of a person on TV who had melanoma and was warning about the very thing I am warning about here. I am passing it along to save someone else from deadly melanoma.
What are your thoughts on protecting yourself and your children?
I saw a doctor about a suspicious brown spot on my skin several years ago because of a person on TV who had melanoma and was warning about the very thing I am warning about here. I am passing it along to save someone else from deadly melanoma.
What are your thoughts on protecting yourself and your children?
May 17th, 2004, 11:36 AM
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I see a dermatologist every 6 months. I use sunblock before I leave the house. Now that I am in the South, I have to be even more careful.
I see some parents with small umbrellas/parasols over their childrens carriages, which I think is brilliant!
Skin cancer most often occurs as a result of sun exposure as children, so we are responsible for our children now and in their futures.
I see some parents with small umbrellas/parasols over their childrens carriages, which I think is brilliant!
Skin cancer most often occurs as a result of sun exposure as children, so we are responsible for our children now and in their futures.
May 17th, 2004, 12:05 PM
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When I exercise in the pool I wer a hat from SundayAfternoon and a long-sleeved waterproof shirt from SolarEclipse. My husband wears an Adventure hat from a travel web site; it covers the head, ears, and neck very well and packs flat.
May 17th, 2004, 04:04 PM
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I've lived in the Florida heat and the Southwestern desert for more than fifty years so I've always protected myself. I think the heat of the sun can be as damaging as the rays. So I take cover as much as I can under hats, umbrellas, whatever. And I wear a lot of light cotton long-sleeved shirts and long pants and skirts. Linen and cotton are wonderfully cool, and if you perspire they will help to keep you dry by absorbing the moisture.
Don't think sunblock is going to keep you from harms way. Stay out of the sun. Who needs it anyway?!?
Don't think sunblock is going to keep you from harms way. Stay out of the sun. Who needs it anyway?!?
May 17th, 2004, 04:29 PM
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Hats are key. There are plentiful and cheap. Never wanted the leather skin of a middle age person, now that I'm 39, I have smooth skin. Since most people aren't exposing their whole bodies to the sun, and sunscreen can be greasy and messy put on, a wide brimmed hat is the answer.
May 17th, 2004, 04:47 PM
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Sorry, but I am picturing a reeeally beeeg hat ~
I use Lubriderm moisturizer with sunblock, then products on my face with sunblock and if I know we will be in the direct sun for any amount of time, I use #30 sun block called Pre-sun, I think, the Dermatologist gave it to me.
None of these products is greasy, that is the old sunblock..some come in gel forms that even the Yankee doesn't mind using (you know guys and that aversion to wearing lotions and creams
I use Lubriderm moisturizer with sunblock, then products on my face with sunblock and if I know we will be in the direct sun for any amount of time, I use #30 sun block called Pre-sun, I think, the Dermatologist gave it to me.
None of these products is greasy, that is the old sunblock..some come in gel forms that even the Yankee doesn't mind using (you know guys and that aversion to wearing lotions and creams
May 17th, 2004, 05:18 PM
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I think a car is a dangerous place for sun exposure. Glass is the cheapest part of an automobile so the cheaper the car the more glass and less tinted glass so therefore the more sun exposure.
My wife tried to tell me that the sun's rays can't get thru glass but I think this is completely false and that if anything the glass magnifies the sun's rays.
Even scarier, is the damage to your eyes that may occur while driving. The rays produced by the cars in front of you while driving may equal the equivalent of staring at the sun. No one knows what the cumulative effect of staring at these reflective lights may have on eyes after many years.
My wife tried to tell me that the sun's rays can't get thru glass but I think this is completely false and that if anything the glass magnifies the sun's rays.
Even scarier, is the damage to your eyes that may occur while driving. The rays produced by the cars in front of you while driving may equal the equivalent of staring at the sun. No one knows what the cumulative effect of staring at these reflective lights may have on eyes after many years.
May 17th, 2004, 05:48 PM
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Pre-Sun. It's the greastest, I agree, Scarlett. SPF 30. Buy new ones yearly -- they only last for so long. Throw them away and start all over at the beginning of summer.
jor. this is one cancer that seems preventable if people know what to do. and what not to do.
jor. this is one cancer that seems preventable if people know what to do. and what not to do.
May 17th, 2004, 05:54 PM
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The best sunblock is Bullfrog.
Since I live on the beach, I buy a lot of sunscreen and use a lot of sunscreen. I use a SPF 15 all over (paying special attention to my neck, chest, and the backs of my hands) when I get out of the shower and continually use it on the beach with an SPF30.
My facial moisterizer is an SPF30 and it is Benifit Face Tint.
Since I live on the beach, I buy a lot of sunscreen and use a lot of sunscreen. I use a SPF 15 all over (paying special attention to my neck, chest, and the backs of my hands) when I get out of the shower and continually use it on the beach with an SPF30.
My facial moisterizer is an SPF30 and it is Benifit Face Tint.
May 17th, 2004, 05:57 PM
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Agree with the sunglass comment.
I have a pair of Ray Ban Aviators I bought back in 1987 that are my beach glasses. They have some sort of diamond coating on the glass to keep them from scratching. They are almost 16 years old and don't have a scratch on the lenses!
The scary part is that I've had them for so long, they've come back in style.
I have a pair of Ray Ban Aviators I bought back in 1987 that are my beach glasses. They have some sort of diamond coating on the glass to keep them from scratching. They are almost 16 years old and don't have a scratch on the lenses!
The scary part is that I've had them for so long, they've come back in style.
May 17th, 2004, 07:50 PM
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I'm so glad to see a post like this getting many responses....
I lost my mother to melanoma when I was 19. She was only 45. Was diagnosed in March (stage 5) - and died exactly 6 months later despite the very best medical care money could buy.
In addition to prevention - early detection of melanoma is KEY! Please watch those moles. And also please get 2nd opinions. My Mom had a large mole cut out of her back and they said it was fine. One year later she was dead.
Find a good dermatologist. See him or her regularly. And never be afraid to keep asking questions until you feel you have the best answers possible.
I lost my mother to melanoma when I was 19. She was only 45. Was diagnosed in March (stage 5) - and died exactly 6 months later despite the very best medical care money could buy.
In addition to prevention - early detection of melanoma is KEY! Please watch those moles. And also please get 2nd opinions. My Mom had a large mole cut out of her back and they said it was fine. One year later she was dead.
Find a good dermatologist. See him or her regularly. And never be afraid to keep asking questions until you feel you have the best answers possible.
May 17th, 2004, 10:26 PM
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In Australia, we now know that exposure to the sun's rays not only causes skin problems, and premature aging but also cataracts and ptyrigiums- a growth over the corner of the eyes, later in life. As a pharmacist, I've seen pterigiums here in 30 year olds. Sometimes these growths, which are not malignant, become inflamed and sore and have to be removed.
They can be prevented by wearing sunglasses, even on children, in the sun.
They can be prevented by wearing sunglasses, even on children, in the sun.
May 18th, 2004, 04:08 AM
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GoTravel, your post made me laugh!
I have a pair of Ambermatic Ray Ban aviator lens shooting glasses from about 1982 that I wear when I am warming up at horse shows because I can go in and out of the barn and they automatically lighten or darken.
I get so many compliments on my "cool" trendy sunglasses. One of the spoiled teen girls I show with demanded to try them on.
Imagine the look on her face when I told her the glasses were much older than she was!
Having worked for an opthamologist and for a national eyewear chain, I can tell you two things:
1.) Sunglasses are more important in eye protection than you would ever dream
2.) Cheap sunglasses (with no or inadequate UVA/UVB protection) are worse than NO sunglasses.
Carabro, I'm so sorry about your mother. I lost mine to cancer too. People should realize that melanoma is a cancer that is highly treatable if it is caught early.
I spend A LOT of time in the direct sun as a diver and an equestrienne, and I see a dermatologist at least yearly and have ANYTHING that looks remotely suspicious cut off and tested.
I requested that a very small, normally-colored mole I could not remember having on my back six months before be cut off. The dermatologist (I USED to have) told me that it was probably nothing, but took it off and had it tested. It came back as basal cell carcinoma.
Now I am vigilant about doing mole-mapping and full body sun screens with the doctor annually.
In these days of HMO's and the hoops they make us jump through to get to the dermatologist, make an effort to make arrangements to be checked or urge someone you love to make arrangements to go. You could save a life!
I have a pair of Ambermatic Ray Ban aviator lens shooting glasses from about 1982 that I wear when I am warming up at horse shows because I can go in and out of the barn and they automatically lighten or darken.
I get so many compliments on my "cool" trendy sunglasses. One of the spoiled teen girls I show with demanded to try them on.
Imagine the look on her face when I told her the glasses were much older than she was!
Having worked for an opthamologist and for a national eyewear chain, I can tell you two things:
1.) Sunglasses are more important in eye protection than you would ever dream
2.) Cheap sunglasses (with no or inadequate UVA/UVB protection) are worse than NO sunglasses.
Carabro, I'm so sorry about your mother. I lost mine to cancer too. People should realize that melanoma is a cancer that is highly treatable if it is caught early.
I spend A LOT of time in the direct sun as a diver and an equestrienne, and I see a dermatologist at least yearly and have ANYTHING that looks remotely suspicious cut off and tested.
I requested that a very small, normally-colored mole I could not remember having on my back six months before be cut off. The dermatologist (I USED to have) told me that it was probably nothing, but took it off and had it tested. It came back as basal cell carcinoma.
Now I am vigilant about doing mole-mapping and full body sun screens with the doctor annually.
In these days of HMO's and the hoops they make us jump through to get to the dermatologist, make an effort to make arrangements to be checked or urge someone you love to make arrangements to go. You could save a life!
