Sun Protection - do you bovver?

[bullterrier]

A couple of weeks ago my doctor found a melanoma (an agressive skin cancer) on my chest, quite by accident and it was cut out of me in a couple of operations... he saved my life, and apart from being bloomin' sore now, it's all good.

In NZ we have about the highest rate of melanoma in the world - but I've only been here 5 years, and probably had my shirt off only a couple of times here - so the damage was probably done living in UK or Germany, or on my many travels.

I expect my lifestyle has been similar to many of your - I got burnt growng up, but got into using sunscreen, enjoyed lying in the sun, always wore a hat (bald git) and often wore fairly staid clothing abroad so as not to offend the local population (mid and far east).
I have been told to wear broad brimmed hats and long sleeves and trousers from now on, in addition to spf 30-50 sun screen from now on, even in winter (cloudy NZ = clear sky in Europe!)

So do you consider it? - I do now and have noticed how many companies - Craghoppers, Columbia etc have high UPF ratings.

Food for thought, eh? Cheers.

 

[santaman2000]

I've been careful for years. But like you, I suspect by attitude in my youth will catch up with me. I grew up in the deep South and then was stationed for 5 years in the Nevada desert before I really ever even thought about it.

 

[resnikov]

6 years in Australia changed my attitude to the sun.
I was out for a walk over day and I wasn't wearing a hat. I got stopped by a chap in about his 60's (hard to tell as he was a bit like a prune) he lifted his hat off and showed me 3 large deep scars on his head that looked like they had been done by a melon baller. He told me this was were the skin cancer had been cut out off his head and said I should always wear a hat. I do now.

Also always make sure the kids have hats and Sun block in the warmer weather.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bullterrier]

Deep scars is right - they went down an inch and a half, and a good half inch around the mel. Yuk!

 

[dwardo]

6 years in Australia changed my attitude to the sun.
I was out for a walk over day and I wasn't wearing a hat. I got stopped by a chap in about his 60's (hard to tell as he was a bit like a prune) he lifted his hat off and showed me 3 large deep scars on his head that looked like they had been done by a melon baller. He told me this was were the skin cancer had been cut out off his head and said I should always wear a hat. I do now.

Also always make sure the kids have hats and Sun block in the warmer weather.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

Living in OZ did the same for me.
To be honest though I didn't take much convincing as I am a keen sun dodger anyways. Cant sit still for more than five minutes so no way will i lay out in the sun.
I prefer long sleeves as they keep you cooler in the sun as does a hat. I have no desire for a "tan" and use sunblock where clothes do not cover.

 

[Toddy]

I cover up; fair skin, freckles.....and I burn. I do tan, but it takes it's time. Used to look like a Indian child when I was little though; always outdoors and very dark hair, I ended up nut brown. Pretty common when I was little. Not now. My working shirts are North Face sun protection ones, and I wear a hat with a kepi bit at the back to cover my neck.

My moisturiser has a built in SF factor, and I do use kids high SF factor suncreams when the weather is actually sunny. My cousin from the south of England laughed at it in the Summer, me in Scotland using sunblock

We live longer generally, most of us have time to see the damage build up. Better if we limit the problems.

cheers,
M

 

[Harvestman]

I cover up and use a high factor cream. Then again, with my colouring I go all red and crispy if the sun so much as shows its face.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I got burnt as a kid, but unlike many, I can't abide the greasy feeling of sun-cream's and lotions - they make me feel like an over ready chicken!

So I stick to covering up and staying out of (the seldom seen recently) strong sunlight whenever it appears.

Ogri the trog

 

[FCDisaster]

I lost my dad to melanoma last year so really reinforced the need for sunscreen...SPF 50 all the time for me now...

 

[mountainm]

I got burnt as a kid, but unlike many, I can't abide the greasy feeling of sun-cream's and lotions - they make me feel like an over ready chicken!

So I stick to covering up and staying out of (the seldom seen recently) strong sunlight whenever it appears.

Ogri the trog

You should try some of the kids sun creams they're much better. They go on almost like a powder and soak right in. They come in handy small bottles too - the Nivea pocket size are great for popping in a bag when out and about.
http://140059.mrsite.com/products/62050--nivea-sun-pocket-size-childrens-sun-cream-spf30-50ml.aspx

 

[Bigfoot]

I have alwyas had an outdoors lifestyle when chance permits and always use a 50 SPF screen. Being fair skinned I have had more than my fair share of sunburn as a kid (the original damage from which doesn't really go away, AFAIK) and in later life suffered a few encounters under the surgeon's knife due to recurring melanoma. I count myself lucky and I consider each new day as a bonus. Whatever your skin type, please ensure you gen up on the potential dangers and use a sunscreen when and where appropriate.

 

[Bigfoot]

Deep scars is right - they went down an inch and a half, and a good half inch around the mel. Yuk!

That is a biggie! Glad you got it sorted.

 

[santaman2000]

I have alwyas had an outdoors lifestyle when chance permits and always use a 50 SPF screen. Being fair skinned I have had more than my fair share of sunburn as a kid (the original damage from which doesn't really go away, AFAIK)......

Nope. It never goes away. After all, the harmful bit of sunlight, ultraviolet radiation, is just that. Radiation. And like any radiation, it's affect is cumulative.

 

[Redwall]

I wish I had a skin cancer patient with me on Army Cadet Camps. The kids treat putting on suncream like a form of torture and I always get flak from them as I stand there and dole out portions for everyone.

 

[Stringmaker]

A colleague of mine had a malignant melanoma removed from the top of his ear.

He is in his early fifties and the consultant told him the damage was probably done when he was a kid.

The reason I bought a tarp hat was to have ear protection from the sun, not just my face.

 

[brozier]

I got burnt as a kid, but unlike many, I can't abide the greasy feeling of sun-cream's and lotions - they make me feel like an over ready chicken!

I'm similar don't like the faff of greasy suntan lotions, I found Rieman P20 is really good (http://www.p20.co.uk/) it's alcohol based rather than oil based and you only need to apply it once a day.

Cheers
Bryan

 

[Tengu]

Oh please be careful.

My mother got a skin cancer on her knee.

it took three operations to clear it, and she was never realy cured.

I got BAD burns on me as a child (think one big blister...then your skin drops off.) and now I am careful.

 

[Niels]

I don't mean to be a know-all, but I once read that sunscreen can cause skin cancer too.
Can somebody who knows more explain?
I never really use it, but I don't really ever have sunburns.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I got burnt a few times as a kid on holiday but haven't really exposed my beautiful body to the sun's harsh rays since I was a teenager. I never wear sun cream but I'm always in long sleeved shirts & trousers however fierce the sun.....I wear a wide brimmed hat now too. I have a few suspect beauty spots which I keep an eye on , looking for any changes in colour , shape & texture.
We are all at risk so it's good to be reminded from time to time.

 

[santaman2000]

I don't mean to be a know-all, but I once read that sunscreen can cause skin cancer too.
Can somebody who knows more explain?
I never really use it, but I don't really ever have sunburns.

I've never seen that but I suppose it's possible. Likely not the sunscreen as such but rather one or more of the ingrdients in one or more brands might be suspect. I suppose that could be a concern for certain allergies as well.

But on the whole it's probably the ultraviolet radiation that's a greater danger.