Summer is coming....

[AprilBaby]

Please remember to wear your sunscreen! I just had my ninth skin cancer removed. I was a beach baby with white blonde hair , blue eyes and pale skin as you can see from my avatar. My parents spent every summer at the jersey shore and kept me on the beach till I blistered. Once I blistered they put a shirt on me and kept me on longer. I will be 54 this Friday and I now wear 50+ sunscreen every day including my exposed hands as I drive. Skin cancer leaves scars and isn't pleasant to have removed. Slather up!!!!

 

[Missy]

So true AprilBaby and I'm glad you are so vigilant now with protecting yourself from those harmful UVA and UVB rays.
My dh is being monitored by the derm every 6 weeks or so for melanomas so you know I am strict with him about protecting himself with good sunblock. I have always been very strict about sun protection as I have rosacea and very fair skin that burns immediately
if the sun even looks at it .

It's important to protect your skin from the sun all year long and even on cloudy days as those rays come through the clouds.

I find the physical sunblocks- those with titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide to be the best (for me) but many find it too messy. What do you use?

Also want to add that wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UVA and UVB rays is very important as well in order to keep your eyes safe.

Thanks for the PSA!

 

[AprilBaby]

I use titanium dioxide on my face and hands. Some of the new BB and CC creams (Olay) contain it in flesh color. I love neutrogenia dry touch formulas too. I wear a wide brim hat and sunglasses. And I do cover up all year round. I get a Derm check every six months.

 

[rainwood]

Hey, AprilBaby, we share the same birthday. You, me, and Carol Burnett!!

 

[AprilBaby]

Happy birthday!!! Carol is WAY older than me. I will be 54.

 

[Missy]

Happy Birthday AprilBaby and Rainwood!

I also like hats for summer sun protection. 2 of my favorite spf websites are coolibar and solumbra (sun precautions).

 

[Tuckins1]

I, too, am in the sun screen club. I wear spf 50 in the sun... I have had many pre-cancerous spots removed, and have lots of freckles and pale skin. Not a good combo for sun exposure! I pester all of my friends and family to wear it, even my black friends. Just because you can't see a sunburn doesn't mean you aren't frying your cells!!! Most of them roll they're eyes at me, but I bug them anyways

 

[justginger]

Slip! Slop! Slap!

Original from the 80s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAu5wCTEBt0

Updated campaign, adding in Seek! and Slide!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzYHwzSE1VY

Australians are very, very sun conscious. Growing up in the midwest, I would actually visit tanning salons (pre-vacation to get a 'base tan' and before formal events) and NEVER wore sunscreen. Nuh uh, not anymore. Living under the ozone hole really gives you a whole new outlook on UV exposure!

 

[chrono]

Wide brim hats, umbrella or just stay out of the sun. I hate summer because I melt under the heat all the time.

 

[beaujolais]

Wishing you good health, April.

I despise summer, also. Too hot to play tennis, ride the horse, makes my fibromyalgia go crazy, ruins the skin, keeps you inside as it's so oppressive, makes me sad, . . .

 

[dragonfly411]

My mom has had many skin cancer spots removed. I have a daytime moisturizer with SPF 30 which I apply first thing in the morning. I never go out with less than 30 on now.

 

[rainwood]

Happy birthday!!! Carol is WAY older than me. I will be 54.

Hey, Carol is way older than me too, but I'm older than you. I'll be 59. Hope you have a great birthday.

 

[iLander]

Ladies!

Don't forget sunglasses! Spring for the good ones! The cheapy ones don't have UVA/UVB protection, and they dilate your eyes so they get more ocular damage.

I live way down south, and my eyeballs literally have yellow spots on the whites from sun damage. My optometrist also said that I have the start of macular degeneration and some now theorize it starts with sun damage.

April Baby, I'm sorry to hear you are going through this, I wish you health and safe passage past Mr. Sun. Dust to you!