Thread: Sun screen

Gentlemen --

Sun Screen -- use it! No joke!!

After many years of enjoying the sun, working in the sun, playing in the sun, and living near a beach all the time cultivating my "healthy glow" that was the envy of others, I went for a routine check-up and my Dr. identified a mole on my back near my shoulder blade as "suspicious". Sure enough a biopsy revealed it was an early stage melanoma that had to be removed.

This Thursday just past it was removed in her office using only lidocaine (lots of it) and sharp instruments for about 45-50 minutes, which seemed longer. It was about the size of a U.S. dime and flat, and I have quite a few freckles and moles that I generally take for granted. The doc said she would remove it with "large margins" to be safe. The procedure was not all that unpleasant but 2 days into recovery my wife removed the dressing as instructed and I got to see via a photo what the result of large margins were and why it was now so uncomfortable. It was put back together with about 30 stitches. I would put it in cut of the day, but it's not that amusing (or pretty).

It hurts, limits my activity for at least two weeks until the stitches are removed and is generally irritating. It also teaches you how many things you do that stretch your back and shoulder muscles and skin and other things that are attached to that area.

I say all this not for sympathy, but to tell you, especially the young guys, that sun screen isn't a joke. Use it. Use it in at least a reasonably high SPF and use it everywhere that's exposed...ears, head, face, hands, etc.

I'll be fine and I'm already 68, but I have commercial fisherman friends, farmer and gardener friends and some golfing friends that have 1/2 of the tops of their ears, patches of scalp, tips of their noses, backs of their hands and their calves that were regularly exposed either scarred and in some cases missing because they never used sunscreen (that's for wussies) and didn't worry about it.

It isn't that funny, and I'm lucky I have a doctor that I see regularly who does and an annual full body skin check. Please don't make my mistake! Use sun screen and wear the right clothing when outdoors.