UV & Me, what’s up?
Does it really matter if we sun drench bodies? It does feel good to bake out and it is wonderful out in the water on a beautiful sunny day!
So why can’t we enjoy the sunshine like we used to? I grew up spending all summer in shorts and no shirt doing everything outside! It was all about water-skiing, surfing, bike riding and any other activity that kept the fun level at a maximin! Sunblock was never heard of and wearing a hat all day was out of the question, I always liked a tan look.
Every year our family started the camping/waterski trips on Memorial Day and continued most every other weekend at many different lakes throughout the summers. We were all so sun fried looking like we just came out of frying pan. My ears, nose and hands always took the biggest hit! Zinc oxide kinda helped the nose but ya, Rudolf the reindeer had nothing on me. When we would get home my hands literally burnt so bad I would stand at the sink with them in cold !
Health Effects of UV Radiation:
Sunburn: Immediate damage to the skin.
Skin cancer: Long-term exposure can increase the risk of various types of skin cancer.
Premature aging: UV radiation can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Eye damage: Prolonged exposure can lead to cataracts and other eye problems.
Fast forward some 50 years or so and I am now paying for my fun in the sun! In these days we all know about it yet very few think it’s a big deal. I can say by experience, yep, I was stupid!
Yes I can say I didn’t know back then but now there is no excuse. We hear it always at the doctors and even when we go to the pool or beach we see and hear mothers putting sunblock on the kids, good job parents.
Nowadays I feel like I’m over careful, everyday before I head outside every exposed skin get doused in sunblock. I wear a full brimmed hat and no longer wear short sleeves. Yes I dislike all this and it makes me feel like I’m being ridiculous but the problems overrule and I am super careful.
I have had so many problems with skin cancer on? Yep, hands and nose! Even the top of my head and arms, too many surgerys removing the damage, fairly large surgeries. It’s just not worth it folks and the option to forgo skin cancer is so easy!
Sunblock, sunblock and some more sunblock! Hat, long sleeves and even UV proof shirt! It’s all worth saving our skin!
My most recent surgery was for a small bump on my hand that became super sore to the touch. By the time the biopsy came in and I arrived for my appointment time the surgeon was both surprised and frustrated. The once small bump the size of a pea had grown down into my hand and tucked under my middle finger tendon.
This surgery took 3 hours, sunburn just isn’t worth the trade off ! Of course things just happen, we can be only so careful but daily sunblock lotion, proper clothes with I great protective hat and maybe, just maybe one can go without the scars and pain.
