Anyone else paranoid about sun exposure?

[divergrrl]

Ever since I had a "suspicious" mole removed in 2001, (it was biopsied and fine--but I inherited my dad''s pale Irish skin, so while I do tan -- I burn very easy & he''s had 3 cancerous ones removed) I''ve been getting a little more nervous about the sun each year.

I was so mad when I got sunburnt in Mexico last September & my poor 2 year old son is constantly getting slathered with 50spf before even one of his little pale toes can go out the door.

I miss being tan during the summer like nobody''s business -- but I''m scared to get any sun! I try to see my dermatologist annually for a skin check, and her attitude is any sun is bad & to stay the heck out of it. According to her (and everything I''ve read) melanomas are insidious and young people (late 20s to early 30s), even folks with darker skin are getting diagnosed with some pretty fatal cancers....its not just for 86 year old Floridian retirees anymore!

Well, I''m a walker, a gardener, a boater, a waterskiier, and love the outdoors in general. I''d spend all day on our boat waterskiing if given the chance. So basically, if the weather is nice, I''m outside.

I''m currently working my way through self tanners -- I think I found one I like -- because I can''t stand my white legs. But nonetheless, its not the same as a tan.

Anyone else as paranoid as I am? Am I the only person buying 50spf??? My friends make fun of me..sigh...perhaps I am to paranoid & buying into the hysteria, who knows ?

 

[Mara]

this may sound bad, but i don't worry too much about the sun. i have olive skin so i guess i feel more protected though i know that is a false sense of security. i do wear 15 on my face and i usually wear 15 when i go out in the sun for long periods of time, but i hardly wear anything else and i don't put it on every morning or anything on my body...just if i am going out into the sun. i probably should be more careful but overall i feel like SOMETHING will probably get us...and if it's not one thing it's another. i don't think people should be 'paranoid' about anything because chances are what you are so worried about won't even be an issue and you'll end up meeting your maker another way, probably some other way you never even thought about!!

i also have read in numerous articles that anything over 30 is really just incremental protection at that point.. i think they have 80 or something crazy now as well? but unless the stuff i read was out of date basically these articles were like sure you can wear more than 30 but in general you aren't THAT much more protected. so then i thought well why really bother wearing something so high. plus i hate the feel of sunscreen on me...i can barely tolerate lotions and/or basic oils. also when i do wear 30 i still get a tan, i just tan so easily.

i do think it's great that you protect your son's skin as much as possible because i also remember reading something about if as a child you get a bad sunburn or too much sun you could do long-term damage that might surface later when they are older kind of thing. greg got a horrible sunburn when he was little as an accident and i am probably a litlte more worried about him than me, he also has so many moles and freckled spots that i tend to inspect him way more than myself. he also is paler than me as well.

but we still go to palm springs for vacation every year and we do the 15 and 30 sunscreen but then end up spending like 8 hours a day by and around the pool and all that. so not the healthiest...but we love it. so yeah, not paranoid...i wouldn't spend time being too paranoid but 'careful' i think is smart. especially since you do have kid(s)!!

however i really do feel like there are so many things that are purported to cause cancer that so many of us worry about one thing but it will probably be another in the end. there are so many bad things out there and i love me some warm sun.

 

[cutes814]

i''m chinese, so i have a slightly warmer complexion. i''m not too worried about the sun. i love the feeling of the warm sun on my skin. i just got back from lake tahoe and boy am i dark right now! i used 30 on face and body the whole time we were there except for the hour during jetskiing, i wore 50 on face and body, just cuz we were in the lake and the sun was really bright in the afternoon. and i still tanned! i tan really easy.

but during my regular days, i wear 15 on my face and nothing on my body. i know, it''s bad, but i''m not in the sun much at all during the days i work. maybe less than 1/2 hour exposure the whole day. if i know i''m going to be out in the sun, then i''ll wear 15 on face and 30 on body. for my daughter, i use waterbabies 45. that''s what she had on the whole time at tahoe and she tanned really nicely.

she looks philipino now...hahaha, at least 3-4 shades darker than usual.

if i know i''ll be out in the sun the whole day, we usually reapply every 3-4 hours and if we''re swimming or doing anything in the water, every 2-3 hours.

i also use aloe on my skin at night after a whole day in the sun. it helps a great deal with burns, or if you were close to being burned. plus it really moisturizes the skin.

if you love being the sun, go out and enjoy it! don''t worry about it too much, you can only protect yourself from so many things in life. as long as i have the sunblock on, i''m not worried at all.

 

[diamondsrock]

I''ve had two suspicious moles removed (both were fine) and my skin leans towards the olive tone. I had a mole on my back which I scratched for some reason and it looked horrible after that, which is what prompted me to go to the dermatologist. After that one, he removed one on my leg as well.
He kind of freaked me out by telling me how younger people are getting skin cancer (not just the typical older man who got a lot of sun). He does quite a few mole removals. Scary stuff. He gave me a pamphlet about it and what to look for. I have a lot of moles so it''s tough because there are so many to check.

 

[cellososweet]

i''m pale as heck. my dad is black and my mum is polynesian and dutch/english. somehow all that came out in my skin tone is the dutch with a smathering of the polynesian. it''s ridiculous. my brother calls me whitey. haha

i''m not paranoid, per se, but i do wear sunscreen all over everyday (my moisturizer and body lotion already have it inside). If i''m going to the beach or some place where there is a lot of sun, i tend to wear a 30 sun block, bring a big umbrella and enjoy the sun in about 20 minutes spurts. I overheat really easy as well as burning easy, so this is my way to enjoy the sun without baking or fainting.

i have plenty of naturally tan family, obviously with the heritage, and we''ve had our share of multiple types of cancers. so, i''m more careful than most, i suppose. i had an aunt have a cancerous mole removed and some lymph nodes biopsied, which were positive. it hadn''t spread too much though and she fought through it. It was pretty bad for her though, treatment-wise. Her super-tan skin didn''t help her any and she wasn''t a sun worshipper by far. Just the occasional outdoor activity.

For the healthy lifestyle i adapted (quit smoking, eat healthy, exercise most days, be mindful of my environment), i would sure feel like an idiot if i got skin cancer and it was avoidable based on something that i could help (like putting on sunscreen or using an umbrella,etc).

so. . .yeah. . that''s me

 

[door knob solitaire]

I wouldn''t call you paranoid...I would call you very very wise. Those friends laughing at you will be crying on your shoulder with premature wrinkled aged spotted skin...while you look at least 20 years younger.

They...(those who have seen her...) say Nicole Kidman skin is so abnormally beautiful you can''t keep your eyes off of her. She has never tanned, burned or allowed the sun to get her. Larger floppy hats and sunscreen is a must for her outings. I remember seeing her at events and she would be next to a bronzed beauty and I would laugh at her pasty look. Who is laughing now? She hasn''t aged...well of course the 9 year disaster

probably aged her a tad.

Your dermatologist has a gizmo to photograph you with a light box to show the damage you have already...the damage you can''t see with a naked eye...but you will see in 10-15-20 years. Once you see what you have already done...you won''t think you are paranoid. EVERYONE who has not protected themselves has this damage. Doesn''t matter what your ethnicity is, skin tone...or age. EVERYONE. To keep this damage at bay...broadband sunscreen is a must ...and use of retinol products. Sunscreen all seasons...even winter...and remember a drive in a car with glass amplifies the damage...so you should consider it as time spent at the pool side.

I was a big tanner. We had a house with roof access...the roof was black and pre tanning beds days...I would climb up there with my secret potion and in 20 minutes I had the tan of the islands. My secret potion? Well I graduated from wimpy baby oil...I moved on to Crisco shortening. It was white and solid and as you scooped a handfull it just melted as it came in contact with your cooking flesh. 20 minutes on a black roof and I came down a hottie. Brilliant eh? Yeah...I was sooo smart.

Not so much. I must wear an intense sunscreen or all the brown spots and blobs will reappear...and they come back and bring all their friends!!

Sunscreen application for someone with a family history of melanomas is no where near paranoid. You have to!!! You mentioned a 2 year old child...unless you want so one else to attend his graduation...and wedding...and CEO ceremony...I suggest you never fail application. Yes, that was blunt. And some may say rude...but I would never encourage anyone to be complacent about the one cancer YOU CAN avoid. You don''t have to avoid the sun. Do all of your activities...just do them well coated and protected. This is not childs play anymore. SKIN CANCER CAN KILL YOU...that means dead. If it doesn''t kill you it may consume (as in gone) your face...your nose...or even you mouth. So slather the stuff on...wear the fake back if you have to have color...and enjoy a long life. The sun is no longer your friend.

I hope to remain one, though.

DKS

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 6/22/2007 11:25:15 PM
Author: door knob solitaire
I wouldn''t call you paranoid...I would call you very very wise. Those friends laughing at you will be crying on your shoulder with premature wrinkled aged spotted skin...while you look at least 20 years younger.

Sunscreen application for someone with a family history of melanomas is no where near paranoid. You have to!!! You mentioned a 2 year old child...unless you want so one else to attend his graduation...and wedding...and CEO ceremony...I suggest you never fail application. Yes, that was blunt. And some may say rude...but I would never encourage anyone to be complacent about the one cancer YOU CAN avoid. You don''t have to avoid the sun. Do all of your activities...just do them well coated and protected. This is not childs play anymore. SKIN CANCER CAN KILL YOU...that means dead. If it doesn''t kill you it may consume (as in gone) your face...your nose...or even you mouth. So slather the stuff on...wear the fake back if you have to have color...and enjoy a long life. The sun is no longer your friend.

I hope to remain one, though.

DKS

DKS, he IS brilliant....LOL....

I''d never call you rude...I might HUG you for your honesty though....

Yeah, yeah...sunscreen is my friend...and I do look good in hats.

On the upside, I already get the "you''re 36?? wow, I thought you were 25!" comments a lot. My dh gets accused of cradle robbing (he has premature silver hair & massive eye wrinkles from growing up in Pheonix by the pool) and we are only 5 years apart. LOL.

I did get some bad brown spots on the left side of my face during my last pregnancy from general sun exposure while driving (sun can make those brown spots appear faster in pregnancy) & my OB told me I could get them lasered off, but to wait until I was done having kids, because it would come back each time. So now I wear sunscreen every day instead of just when I am heading out.

I also think about the example I set for my kids. If I put sunscreen on them & not myself, what does that say? I''m pregnant with a girl right now, and I do not want her to think she has to bake her skin to look good.

And then there is cancer...I''m afraid of cancer. Its like cellosweet said....I''d hate to have had the knowledge to prevent skin cancer, choose not to, and then get it!

Oh well, I guess I''d just better get used to the gradual self tanner moisturizers.....small price to pay for healthy, wrinkle free (or almost...I used to bake as teen...so its now starting..) epidermis.

 

[Skippy123]

I have known 2 people who had cancerous moles removed. I use to tan very easy, now I burn so I am very careful. Hubby is white so I feel like I am always harping on him to use sunscreen. I use it on my face everyday and hands. I think you are very smart to be careful!

 

[asscherisme]

I have had melonoma and am SO scared about the sun. For myself and my kids. I am at a super high risk of melomoma reoccurance. Its June and I am proud of my lack of tan.

So, I agree, you are not paranoid, you are smart. I buy 50 for myself and my kids and I use the huge scar on my thigh as a reminder to them to be wise about the sun.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Most of the people I know who have a predisposition to skin cancer and wear the sunscreen like crazy get it anyway--what seems to be a more surefire protection is long sleeves, hats, etc.

I would hate to see people forget that the sun in small doses that don''t burn is very good for you. Lifts mood, creates VitD, etc. Yes, it may give you some wrinkles over time, but it can also contribute to your overall health. Of course care should be taken never to burn, but my FIs mother, for example, has a history of melanoma. She covers everything with 50, never goes in the sun--gets a malignant mole anyway, and a Vitamin D deficency despite drinking oodles of fortified milk.

 

[Dee*Jay]

This thread is SO timely! I just saw the dermatologist on Wednesday for something that was suspicious *to me* and turned out to be nothing, but I''m going in in a few weeks to have a freckle that is "suspicous" to the doctor removed from my thigh.

I spent the first 20 or so summers of my life in our pool. They would dump me in there the day that school got out for the summer and fish me out again just before Labor Day to go back to school. I am, as one doctor decribed me, "two and a half shades whiter than the palest pale" and have blond hair and blue eyes. If I had a dollar for every sunburn that I''ve gotten in my life I''d be a millionaire. (Keep in mind this was all back before the days of sunscreen) A total recipe for disaster... Amazingly I have really good skin. The doc on Wednesday said it looks like I''ve never ever seen the light of day--but I''m sure this will all catch up with me someday.

One interesting thing that the doc told me is that there are only four chemicals that are really effective in sunscreen. Many sunscreens prevent you from turning red but they don''t block the truly harmful rays that damage your skin and cause cancer, so people think, oh, I''m not red, this stuff is good. Unfortuantely no... I''ll have to dig out the pamphlet she gave me that said which four chemicals work. She did recommend specifically recommend Neutrogina sunscreen with "helioplex". I asked if she was getting some sort of kick-back from Neutrogina or any other organization to recommend that brand (ever cynical Dee is!) and she said absolutely not, and that was the ONLY reason she felt comfortable recommending a brand at all.

As for the 15 and above, yep, she said that too. Anything over 15 is so incrimental it''s almost pointless. Just apply the 15 more often and you''re good.

Anyway, come the second week in July we''ll see what my freckle really turns out to be...

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 6/23/2007 11:06:11 AM
Author: Dee*Jay
This thread is SO timely! I just saw the dermatologist on Wednesday for something that was suspicious *to me* and turned out to be nothing, but I''m going in in a few weeks to have a freckle that is ''suspicous'' to the doctor removed from my thigh.

I spent the first 20 or so summers of my life in our pool. They would dump me in there the day that school got out for the summer and fish me out again just before Labor Day to go back to school. I am, as one doctor decribed me, ''two and a half shades whiter than the palest pale'' and have blond hair and blue eyes. If I had a dollar for every sunburn that I''ve gotten in my life I''d be a millionaire. (Keep in mind this was all back before the days of sunscreen) A total recipe for disaster... Amazingly I have really good skin. The doc on Wednesday said it looks like I''ve never ever seen the light of day--but I''m sure this will all catch up with me someday.

One interesting thing that the doc told me is that there are only four chemicals that are really effective in sunscreen. Many sunscreens prevent you from turning red but they don''t block the truly harmful rays that damage your skin and cause cancer, so people think, oh, I''m not red, this stuff is good. Unfortuantely no... I''ll have to dig out the pamphlet she gave me that said which four chemicals work. She did recommend specifically recommend Neutrogina sunscreen with ''helioplex''. I asked if she was getting some sort of kick-back from Neutrogina or any other organization to recommend that brand (ever cynical Dee is!) and she said absolutely not, and that was the ONLY reason she felt comfortable recommending a brand at all.

As for the 15 and above, yep, she said that too. Anything over 15 is so incrimental it''s almost pointless. Just apply the 15 more often and you''re good.

Anyway, come the second week in July we''ll see what my freckle really turns out to be...

My favorite sunscreen since last summer is Neutrogena''s cooling body mist (its 45 though, I''m not sure if they make the helioplex in a less potent "cocktail") because it sprays on clear, smells better than most & I don''t have to rub it in. My toddler thinks its a scream to get sprayed. (I used the baby stuff on him until he was almost 2...then I ran out in Mexico & my friend had this stuff & we used it on our boys & they were fine. No burns!). I also like titanium dioxide for my face, it doesn''t feel greasy or break me out. Once I was on a dive boat in Mexico & had the t.d. sunscreen on my face & regular 15 on my body & my body burned & my face didn''t...Origins discontinued their Silent Protector that I loved, but I found a "pregnancy sunscreen" that has it that isn''t quite as non greasy, but it does the trick of blocking the sun.

Rainbow Trout: I spend too much time outside to avoid getting my dose of sun. I live in Portland, OR where it rains most of the year, so when the sun does come out, you can bet my patootie is outside enjoying life. Besides I have this stupidly huge yard (my dh''s thing...I''m more of a "container with flowers & maybe one bed of roses, peonies, zinnias & some bulbs kind of gardener) that needs way too much attention so there is no staying inside. Also we have a boat, and I live 3 blocks from the river/boat launch, so when I''m not knocked up, I''m out waterskiing or hanging out. And my son''s ONLY word after breakfast is "ou-si!!! ou-si!!!" My outlook brightens considerably when its sunny out. I LOVE it!

I hope my kid inherits my husband''s skin. Steve is part Native American, part Jewish (Israeli I believe), we suspect a bit Armenian due to his last name, so he has dark skin & black hair (well it was....lol) & black eyebrows. My son looks EXACTLY like him. I think my son tans instead of burns, because dh had him outside one day for 2 hours before 1pm when I was gone with no shirt & forgot the sunscreen. I almost THROTTLED my dh! Fortunately Jake''s skin didn''t do anything except brown up a little. His little arms are looking kind of brown despite my excessive sunscreen slathering on him.

Thanks for weighing in everyone...its interesting. Lucky Mara to be so naturally dark ... now I''m not only jealous of her skinny fingers, bllinged out left hand, but her skin tone. LOL!

This thread reminds me that I missed my annual dermie appt this year. Must go schedule that right now.

happy summer everyone...

 

[firebirdgold]

My father has had an insane amount of ''thingies'' taken off of him. His face, back and tops of his ears, neck, shoulders, back, legs, etc.... My grandmother who has worn a hat her entire life has had all of the skin on her nose taken off and replace with skin from a leg. (It still looks a tad odd).

Yet I don''t worry as much about it as I should. I wear neutragena daily moisturizer with spf 30 as my day-time moisturizer just as a matter of course. But I tend not to put any sunscreen on my arms or legs unless I''m doing something specifically outdoorsy like gardening, not just walking about. Part of it is because my father and grandmother have the ultra-fair skin of redheads and I''m 1/4 italian so feel a little safer even though I''m not really.

I know I need to be better and I do worry about all the beauty spots I have, that they could turn into something. The suggestion for a body lotion with spf in it is a great one! I find it so much easier to wear sunscreen if it''s simply part of my daily ritual in something I''d use anyway. Sure I use stuff when I garden or swim, but alot of our damage comes from just the 30 minutes of outdoor time we get walking to our cars or what not.

I do sympathize a little with the pale legs thing, but I think that the general esthetic is changing and people without facial tans look more attractive than people with them. Most of the time now when I see a young woman with a real tan I think about how dreadful she''ll look when she''s older and how silly it is. It no longer looks good. I''m also noticing that more hollywood stars are going for the pale look than the tan one.


So in answer to your question, I''m paranoid but I don''t do enough about it.

 

[VegasAngel]

I wouldnt say that I am paranoid about the sun, but I do know what overexposure to the sun can do. I had melanoma at 20. No, I wasnt at the beach or pool sunbathing. I got it from enjoying outdoor activites. As a kid I was lucky to have horses & spent a lot of time riding, grooming, cleaning all the things you do when you have horses. I go for skin checkups once a year now.

Anyone who thinks that they can hang out in the sun without consequences is playing with fire. You may not notice the effects now but as you age you will see what the sun can & will do. Some people dont care they think they will get old & wrinkly anyway. Well, all the cosmetic surgeons thank you they are making a fortune trying to improve sun damaged skin.

You dont need to avoid the sun completely. Use sunscreen (365 days a year even cloudy days). wear hats, sunglasses, light colored clothing. Also you dont need to hang in the sun to get vitamin D. You are exposed to the sun when in your car or sitting near a window for example.

" The SPF number on a sunscreen label tells you only how long you can stay in the sun without burning. It does not tell you the quality or amount of sun protection you are getting. For example, an SPF 50 sunscreen does not protect you "better" than an SPF 25. An SPF of 25 means that you can stay in the sun approximately nine hours without burning while the SPF 50 allows for about 18 hours in the sun without burning. But how many places in the world have 18 hours of sunlight every day? So the extra protection is actually meaningless. In terms of how much sunlight (Ultra Violet—UV rays) gets through to the skin, both SPF 25 and SPF 50 protect nearly identically. An SPF 50 is not better than an SPF 25. If anything, it misleads lots of people into thinking they are getting stronger protection when all they are getting is unnecessary longer protection.

"Crunching the numbers: an SPF 2 blocks about 50% of UVB rays; an SPF 10 filters out about 85% of UVB rays; an SPF 15 stops about 95%; and an SPF 30 stops about 97%. An SPF that's higher than 30 does not provide any more UV protection, it just offers more time that you can stay in the sun without burning."

Make sure your sunscreen contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone (which may also be listed as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane) as the active ingredient otherwise you are not being fully protected.

 

[mrssalvo]

I apply sunscreen and go. I love being outside too much to avoid the sun. My kids get lotioned up too but even they have a summer glow. My youngest has olive skin like me and gets very tan looking despite waterbabies sunscreen. Her doc said that what happens to her is fine and healthy even good for her. She doesn't burn, nor do I. My dermotologist said with my skin coloring i would have to completely stay out of the sun to avoid my skin not darkening. I get darker just walking to the mailbox and she said keep on the sunsreen but no need to avoid altogher. That just isn't quality of life to me. I used to be horrible with the baby oil etc. too. I think applying the sunscreen is smart but being paranoid just zaps the fun out of life and life is too short to go around in fear of things beyond our control. Diver, I think you are doing the right thing with the sunscreen, just keep it up and go outside and have fun

 

[Mara]

diver, yes i am blessed with a more medium tone skin, even if i don''t get a tan in the summer i still stay warm looking enough, but it just takes 10-15 min of walking around for me to get a tan. that is what i have most of the time, a slight tan...i only get really dark when we go to palm springs and then it fades down within a month. i hope that when we have kids that they have my skin tone or a blend of mine and greg''s just because it will be easier for them to not burn in the sun. i had a friend who was half french and half mexican and she was really pale in general but then 10 min in the sun and she had the prettiest golden tan. i thought that was a great way to be ! hehe. anyway, you are doing the right thing for you and your kids!!

 

[door knob solitaire]

Vegas girl...thanks for taking the time to post such an informative reply!!! You put a lot of time into that one! I am sure someone will make a purchase based on your post.

Yeah! One more saved from years of regret!!

DKS

 

[snlee]

I wear 15 on my face daily and 30 if it''s sunny. If it''s sunny and I know I''ll be getting sun exposure, I''ll wear 15 or 30 on my body too. I burn easily so if I''m out in the sun all day long, I reapply like crazy, every hour or two.

Thanks for starting this thread divergrrl and for everyone''s posts. I had been thinking about going to the dermatologist lately but never made an appointment. I have never gone as an adult. Reading this has motivated me to find a dermatologist, make an appointment, and get my skin checked out! I have some moles and a lot of freckles from the sun, even though I use sunscreen, which I should get checked out.

Do I ask for a regular check up? What should I expect for my first appointment?

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 6/23/2007 12:28:58 PM
Author: VegasAngel

Make sure your sunscreen contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone (which may also be listed as Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane) as the active ingredient otherwise you are not being fully protected.

Thanks for the great info, and especially for posting the chemicals. These are exactly the ones that the dermatologist told me about as being effective.

Snlee, you when you make your appointment just say that you want to come in and have a full body evaluation. They will look at all of your freckles, moles, and whatever else. If anything looks suspicious they will probably recommend that it be removed. Since you say that you burn easily they will likely suggest that you come in on a regular basis (e.g., annually) and have a quick check.

 

[february2003bride]

DG- I''m casper pale most of the year (and blonde haired blue eyed to boot!) so I HAVE to wear sunscreen/sunglasses when we go out. I slather it on my kids too! My two sons are half indian and get the most awesome tans but I''m such a freak about skin cancer that it''s a must to wear it plus their hats. My DD is as pale as I am so she gets the sunscreen too! DH has finally given in to my sunscreen complaints about him. He feels that since he''s Indian, he doesn''t need sun protection, right?!? Wrong! His doctor backed me up and said he could get skin cancer too! Plus premature aging (I think that convinced him the most, lol!). Anyway, I''m 30 but look 22 without make up (25 with) and I swear it''s because I''m so diligent with the spf!

Funny thing about DH- his parents are here visiting until tomorrow (16 looooooong days) and we''ve been doing a lot of touristy stuff with them, most of it outside. I''ve got DH spraying the sunscreen on and each time I offer it to them, they laugh and decline and make comments about DH not being Indian anymore

I''ve started tossing back that skin cancer and WRINKLES can affect anyone!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Not paranoid, but certainly aware and careful. I unnecesssarily exposed my skin in my early twenties, which resulted in freckles/moles galore. I now have to be seen twice a year by my derm, who always claims that "I make him work for his money...." I had a suspicious mole removed about ten years ago--that required a wide excision biopsy. Lucikly the margins came back clear and all subsequent moles removed annually, have been OK. So far so good.

My Lancome foundation has sunscreen and, in addition, I wear City Block by Clinique that has a high SPF. (I read it help with wrinkles....

). Altho I still worship the sun, I wear hats, and my new best friend is a rash guard (usually worn by surfers...water skiiers...etc). I have always bought them for my son, and now I wear them also. You wouldn''t believe how many women came up to me last time we were in Mexico asking me where I bought mine... I really love it and plan to get another one, and one for my DH too, before we head to PS this Aug.

My favorite sunscreens are made by Neutrogena and Ombrelle. Go thru bottles of them every summer......

cheers--Sharon

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 6/23/2007 2:01:32 PM
Author: snlee
I wear 15 on my face daily and 30 if it''s sunny. If it''s sunny and I know I''ll be getting sun exposure, I''ll wear 15 or 30 on my body too. I burn easily so if I''m out in the sun all day long, I reapply like crazy, every hour or two.

Thanks for starting this thread divergrrl and for everyone''s posts. I had been thinking about going to the dermatologist lately but never made an appointment. I have never gone as an adult. Reading this has motivated me to find a dermatologist, make an appointment, and get my skin checked out! I have some moles and a lot of freckles from the sun, even though I use sunscreen, which I should get checked out.

Do I ask for a regular check up? What should I expect for my first appointment?

snlee: make sure you call a dermatologist and schedule a "skin check". They really do check your WHOLE body. You get naked & they, ummm....look under the hood. LOL. But figuring that your bikini line is exposed when you wear a bathing suit & many of us (guilty as charged) used to use tanning beds in our birthday suits, its a good idea. It''s fast though. Nothing like a trip to the OB.

Your GP, or regular doctor is not the right person to be checking your skin. Definitely go straight to the dermie.

 

[Pandora II]

I always wear factor 30 and have done since I was 15. I have burnt a couple of times pretty badly up in the Alps mountain climbing, but I''m careful not to sunbathe. I crave the sun so it''s hard!

However at 35 I have zero wrinkles and most people think I''m 26, so there is a pay off I suppose.

My FSIL who is 30 was diagnosed with a 5mm thick malignent melanoma last year and has just finished a hideous year of chemo. She had an MRI done last month which showed the lymph nodes a little enlarged, now we are all waiting for the repeat in December to see if she''s okay.

They have given her a 50% chance of surviving the next 5 years.

Her wedding is in September. They had been planning to try for kids quite soon, but she has to wait at least 2 years before trying as it can very easily trigger the cancer again.

Watching them go through the fear and the worry and the chemo side effects was enough to cure me of ever wanting a "natural" tan again.

 

[Beacon]

Yes, you could say I am a little paranoid. I don''t go in the sun if I can avoid it. I had a friend who had melanoma very young, thankfully she survived. A college friend was not so lucky; died. My colleage''s mom died from melanoma. What I learned from her was that women most often will get skin cancer on their legs, while men will often get it on their backs.

When I was young I was very outdoorsy but around 16 I got religion on sunscreen and used it all the time ever since. High numbers too.

I have had two very well known dermatologists tell me in the past that they think sunscreen is "hocus pocus" and best advice is just to stay out of the sun. I think this view is being supported right now as there are lawsuits being filed against the major suncreen makers for false advertising claims.

Helioplex is a good idea. It is a chemical compound that extends the life of the avobenzone in the product. Normally avobenzone will break down in about 2 hours, so unless you reapply very often you lose protection. Helioplex extends that time by at least double.

Since I avoid the sun, I supplement my Vit D which is important.

I also use clothing products from Solumbra. Wraps and gloves that block UV. They are very lightweight and effective. I think it helped me so far. If you look for my posts you can see my 45 yo hands!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I was thinking of trying the new Vichy product--covers both UVA/B. And speaking of skin troubles, my Mom is having a biopsy as I write--suspicious basal cell carcinoma on her nose. Hope not, as she''ll need a skin graft to cover the area.

cheers--Sharon

 

[phoenixgirl]

This thread has reminded me to be more diligent.

I started spending a lot more time outside this year (moved from a condo with no outdoor space to a house, walking 5 miles every other day), and I haven''t changed my sunblock habits to compensate. If I''m going to be sitting in the sun at a baseball game or something for hours, I wear sunblock, but I don''t put it on to go on my walks. As a result, my arms and face are very tan. I''m of a darker complexion and don''t burn unless I''m stupid, but that''s no excuse.

I went out yesterday and got Neutrogena with helioplex in it. Thanks for the tip! I''m going to apply sunblock regularly from now on. I may have to avoid my forehead and wear a hat when walking because when I sweat sunblock always gets in my left eye (???).

I really hope my skin forgives me and there''s no permanent damage.

 

[AmberWaves]

I never used to be paranoid until I started burning from just 10 minutes in the sun. I wore SPF 70 and still burned so bad I was swollen. I went to the dermatologist many many times and they tested me for everything, and had no idea what it was. I tested positive for the lupus antibodies, but not for lupus (one of those things that all patients with lupus have that, but not all people who have that have lupus). So I have to stay out of the sun. I''m half hispanic and half scottish, and pale like you wouldn''t believe. BOTH parents are darker than I am, and was before this. So now I have to get my sunscreen from Canada, it has titanium in it and I haven''t burned in over two years. Of course I am whiter than ever, which looks really bad with my pitch black (natural) hair, but at least I''m healthy. Of course, all those burns from before may make me a good patient for skin cancer, but my derm. thinks I got it early enough. SUNSCREEN IS MY FRIEND!!

 

[Beacon]

AW, there is a product called Cotz that you can get in the US that has titanium dioxide and zinc oxide both. I don''t know if it''s great stuff as I have not used it myself, but I know you can get it here. Sorry you had that bad experience - wow!

 

[AmberWaves]

Thanks Beacon, It''s really a pain to have to order that stuff from Canada!! I''ll look into that stuff.

 

[snlee]

Thanks Dee Jay and divergrrl for the helpful tips!