I also was a sun worshiper at a young age. Did alot of damage. I am now heavily tattooed and can't see my skin. Wonder how i should address this situation. Maybe a checkup at a dermatoligist? Maybe regular check ups? Has ayone ever encountered this befor?Would love any thoughts on this.Thanks,
Lizzie
· 7 months ago
great advice. I hope everything goes well tomorrow, take a deep breathe, it's better to know than to not know. i struggle with tanning. i am pail, i except that. but i recently moved to the valley of the sun and EVERYONE is golden brown, it's tough, but i do my best. i don't "tan" but i am outside a lot with the kid. thanks for reminding me to be responsible :)
Yes, it is better to know than to not know. I'm sure it will be okay. Thanks for the encouraging comment.
Lynn from Organicmania.com
· 7 months ago
I hope everything goes well tomorrow, too, Sommer. Everyone should have a baseline skin check with a dermotologist - it's very easy - the doctor just notes the existing moles on your body and the sizes. That way if you suspect a change in color or pigmentation, there is a baseline to check it against.
greenandcleanmom
· 7 months ago
Thanks Lynn. I wish I wouldn't have gone five years. When I was in college and without kids I went every year but I've put my own health on the back burner.
Brady
· 7 months ago
I always burned when I was a kid, I have a fair complexion almost matching that of my two redheaded siblings. One of my brother's though has a very olive complexion and seldomly burned, just tanned.
I actually feel more comfortable in long sleeves and jeans, so when I dress down or go swimming I have to lather up or I turn into a crispy critter. Thank heavens my wife is around to keep me in check.
I totally agree that we should never let ourselves burn, and when you're by water, or baking at a soccer tournament for the day, or whatever, you definitely need to be careful and use sunscreen, especially if you have very fair skin.
However, I don't agree that it should be worn every time you're outside. Vitamin D from the sun is way too important to block it out every single time you step out the door.
I always think about what people did 100 years ago. They covered up if they were going to be out in the glaring sun too long (and didn't use sunscreens full of chemicals), but a tan from working outside a lot wasn't feared.
A healthy diet with plenty of healthy fats (like butter, coconut oil, and other animal fats - yes, it's "politically incorrect" to say it) is a great protector against skin cancer. (Just think about what people ate on their family farms for 1000's of years before "they" told us what was "bad".) Don't expect your dermatologist to agree, though. I wouldn't want anyone to blindly believe their doc, anyone else, and certainly not me, but just research it yourself and see what you find. :)
I'm very fair too, but I burn and only burn. I've never built up what anyone would consider to be a "good" tan. My joke is that I can go from ghost to lobster.
As you can imagine, I've always been a fan of sunscreen. But I do also need to get around to the dermatologist one of these days.
My kids I consider to be both lucky and unlucky. Lucky that they tan so easily. Unlucky that they tan so easily because that means they don't have the natural reminder that I do to keep using that sunscreen. Funny how that works.
It seems to me, that the current "tanning salong hype" among younger people is even more dangerous than the actual sun worship some of us might have indulged in. Some of the teenagers passing me by on my way to and from the office exhibit an almost orange skin color that quite certainly is neither healthy nor attractive. I wonder how that generation will think about these issues twenty years from now...
Carla
· 7 months ago
Though I have brown skin, I have always burned (and its even worse now) so my mother always slathered me in sunblock. It was embarrassing because the zinc in it always left me gray! Now I see she was doing me a favor. On most days, I use at least an SPF 30 on my skin.
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I actually feel more comfortable in long sleeves and jeans, so when I dress down or go swimming I have to lather up or I turn into a crispy critter. Thank heavens my wife is around to keep me in check.
I hope everything goes well for you tomorrow.
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However, I don't agree that it should be worn every time you're outside. Vitamin D from the sun is way too important to block it out every single time you step out the door.
I always think about what people did 100 years ago. They covered up if they were going to be out in the glaring sun too long (and didn't use sunscreens full of chemicals), but a tan from working outside a lot wasn't feared.
A healthy diet with plenty of healthy fats (like butter, coconut oil, and other animal fats - yes, it's "politically incorrect" to say it) is a great protector against skin cancer. (Just think about what people ate on their family farms for 1000's of years before "they" told us what was "bad".) Don't expect your dermatologist to agree, though. I wouldn't want anyone to blindly believe their doc, anyone else, and certainly not me, but just research it yourself and see what you find. :)
Kelly
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As you can imagine, I've always been a fan of sunscreen. But I do also need to get around to the dermatologist one of these days.
My kids I consider to be both lucky and unlucky. Lucky that they tan so easily. Unlucky that they tan so easily because that means they don't have the natural reminder that I do to keep using that sunscreen. Funny how that works.
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