Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Skin Cancer

Hey Guys and gals - it's summertime so be sure to use the sunscreen and long sleeves and pants.
Just had the second skin cancer carved off my nose Wednesday and annually have several basal cell carcinomas removed from face and body.

Too may years on the water without regard to skin protection.

George,I hope everything works out for the best.I dont get to spend as much time as I'd like on/at the water,but I sure put in my share of time doing yardwork in the sun.

Thank you for the reminder George!

I had a malignant melanoma removed 21 years ago, skin cancer is something you do not want to take a chance with.

A+ george

I've had 2 of them carved off of me. I know I should take up bowling or pool shooting or something indoors. Maybe ever wear long sleeves during the summer.

Ain't gonna happen.

Here's what you guy's in Texas need.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2313/3542245823_08a84bb69b.jpg

Doesn't everyone in Texas already have one of those? Maybe its the rest of us that need them...

Thanks for the reminder George. I have had two Squamous cell carcinomas removed myself. Recently had a basil cell removed from my lower lip, so put on that lip stuff with sun screen in it.

George:

Thanks for the reminder. I've seen guys wearing really lightweight gloves while fishing on the flats. Do you have any idea where they are available? I know they make lightweight sunblocking clothing for the same reason, I wouldn't mind buying a shirt or 3 as well.

I think it also helps to be out in the sun as much as possible in early part of the year, so skin can slowly adapt to the sun. Too many people just go out in the summer and are asking for a burning from the sun, which greatly increases risk of cancer.

It would be nice if some of our doctor friends weighed in on this like our resident accountant and an occasional lawyer or two do on financial and legal matters.

I'd like to know if getting into the sun early protects us from cancer or just lets us tan without burning.

Bing

AP, that kind of lid might be ok unless the wind was blowing or you had to cut through some brush.

Don't cowboy hats come with chin straps.

Let Dr. JHAP clear this all up for you.

A tan is skin that has already been damaged. There is no such thing as getting a base tan as protection from skin cancer.

But please DO NOT take my word for it. Google "skin cancer myths" and read.

And hopefully one of our resident physicians will yell at you more.

Oh and George, I'm in the same boat. Too many years of surfing and sunning causes me annual trips to the doc to have chucks cut off and send out for lab work.

No worries here! You've gotta have skin first!

Hope all is clear on the pathology!

Ok AP, I'm thinking. I'm thinking real hard but no nifty response is coming to me.

I'm not a doc; but my wife is a real life physician and Dr. JHAP is right. As a farm boy who has spent a lot of time outside without protection, you can bet I've heard about the risks. My wife now buys the sunscreen, large hats, etc. to ensure protection. I have no excuse not to use it.

Never liked the feel of standard sunscreen on my face, so I started using an alcohol based sunscreen for face, ears, and neck. This is the one I have been using:
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=16237&catid=12101
To spendy to use on the rest of me, I just use the standard NO- AD SPF 15. Don't forget your hollywoods for the eyes!

Believe me I use protection. If you ever had a chemical peel on your bald head you will. For three weeks you have to put a cream on morning and night that take the the skin off. The last time I was bleeding. Then you have a reversing cream that you put on for two weeks. Feels like a wind sunburn very painful

Good points. I had lasix eye surgery a couple years ago. At a relatively young age, I already had some signs for cataracts. The doc asked if I spent a lot of time outdoors without wearing sunglasses and strongly suggested that I get a really good pair of sunglasses and wear them. After getting a sunburn on my head (humbling experience), I now also wear a good hat regularly when outside.

I shall divulge a wily old surfer's trick. Coppertone Water Babies sunscreen. Yep it comes in a ghirly pink bottle but it is hypoallergenic and non-stinging, water proof and comes in very high SPF rating (I use 50). Also the price per ounce is fairly reasonable compared to some other sunscreens. If you're not man enough to carry around a pink bottle then just pour it into something else.

Every year we do this thread, and every year I look back and recount my visits to my dermatologist....once every 6 months, like clockwork. He started carving about 4 years ago. I lost track, but I think it's close to 20 moles removed, and 2 of them required a second visit for surgery to remove more tissue...to be sure. So far, so good, but Doc's been watching 3 of 'em on my back that are "suspicious".
My derm. tells me that the sun does not actually cause the body to create the bad cells. He says that some of us have a pre-disposition for skin cancer, and it will crop up sometime as we cruise thru life, with or without the sun. What the sun does, though, is facilitate the predisposition and act like a catalyst.
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Dski and I both wrestle with sun/skin issues. Hats with earflaps, SPF 50 (min) plus longsleeves and trousers.
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Another thing the Derm told me is that certain areas of the body are worse to get skin damage than others. The face and backs of the hands are baddies. The reason is the amount of tissue that the bad cells have to grow thru to get into the bloodstream. The face and hands are very thin and there is little time to remove the bad cells before it's too late.
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One last thing...at least for now. For all those that may or may not remember any of the stuff in this thread, please remember at least this one thing. There is no cure for melanoma skin cancer. Once it spreads, it's game over.

Well said Brett.

SPF 30 minimum is our choice.

Before there was sunscreen we got burnt and toughed it out. That is why there are a lot of more sun experienced (OK, older) outdoors people that have skin problems.

Surfer? We need pictures!