It's amazing that the calendar has rolled into July with it's hot, steamy days. I spent the weekend at a public pool with my younger two sons. Today I woke up with a wicked sunburn on my back. Not cool, especially considering I am meticulous about wearing sunscreen. When I was 15, I had a mole on my neck, just behind my earlobe, that had started to itch. If I touched it, even gently, it would bleed. My mother took me to a dermatologist who removed it, sent it to a lab, and told me it was "atypical" and "precancerous." Needless to say, I have been very, very careful ever since. I choose makeup and skincare products that contain an SPF of at least 15. I was wearing SPF 50 at the pool. I couldn't reach my back though, and I asked my 7-year-old son to apply it for me. Lesson learned, for both me and my son! Poor guy felt terribly responsible. Meanwhile, I will inform my dermatologist of the burn. Since I am considered high risk for skin cancer, I get a complete exam every other year from a dermatologist. They literally draw a map of every mole and freckle on my entire body. Each one is measured and the color and texture noted. Any changes indicate immediate removal and analysis. I don't really mind this as its fairly painless, but I worry that as I get older there will be sun damage to my scalp and I will lose a patch of hair to a lab test. Perhaps I need to start wearing hats. Meanwhile, I urge all of my readers to use common sense and educate yourself about the serious damage regular tanning and sunburns can cause. I have attached a link for your benefit.
Stay cool (with a spritz of M-3.2!) and enjoy these beautiful summer days!
Preventing Skin Cancer
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