Summer is in full swing and for me that means, beaches, car shows, outdoor concerts yard work, and antiquing. The nice weather also affords us the opportunity to wear less!
Wearing less though comes with some risks. And by risks I’m talking about the sun. We all want that bronzed, golden glow that comes from a nice suntan, but I’m going to tell you from experience that you may pay for that look in the long run.
When I was younger I did some modeling. One photographer I worked with had a thing for tan lines. So before the shoot I would tan wearing my BodyAware Mini Sparkler G-String. Several sessions in a tanning booth or laying out in the yard wearing my chrome undies resulted in a nice glow with AMAZING tanlines. I did all kinds of shoots from fashion to nudes and to be honest I kind of got hooked on tanning. I loved the look and the feel of being in the tanning booth. I got a lot of compliments about my tan and it made me feel good.
I don’t model anymore and I don’t spend hours in the sun or tanning booth either. But that doesn’t mean I’m not at risk. A few years ago I had a strange spot show up on my stomach. It was dark, recessed, itched and would change shape. Just to be on the safe side I went to a dermatologist to have it checked out. They did a full skin check and ended up removing the offending spot. The spot ended up being harmless, but I decided that getting checked once a year was a good idea. I’ve been seeing the dermatologist every year for the past 5 or so years. This year I had a spot on my face that bothered me. It was a raised area and every time I would shave my face I would have to be careful not to nick this area. I went in for my annual skin check and mentioned to the dermatologist that I would like this spot removed. I thought nothing of it and neither did the dermatologist. They numbed the area, sliced off the spot and just to be on the safe side sent it off to the lab. I thought nothing of it until a few weeks later when the doctor called. It was pre-cancerous.
Today, I headed back into the dermatologist for a more aggressive removal of the spot. I just got home, and one big bandage and 3 stitches later I am now (hopefully) spot free on my face.
So what am I getting at here? First and foremost is to wear sunscreen. Wearing the proper sunscreen will protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. More importantly, get yourself checked out by a dermatologist once a year. Going to the dermatologist stopped a small problem from getting bigger.
And really what is more fun than having a friend help you apply sunscreen?
Hope you have a great week and enjoy this amazing weather!
Ron