More than Melanoma & My Future with SUNBLOCK!
Nothing in my posts are ever meant to scare you, but to simply make you aware of your surroundings and the dangers that are lurking in something so innocently disguised as the sun. The beautiful, big, yellow rays of light that I've been in love with since I was a little girl!
I've said from the very beginning of this that if it makes a difference in just one person's life, than none of this has to be in vein.
It has already not just touched one, but many. Many people that I know and love have made appointments with dermatologists and have gotten body checks. Some have started wearing sunblock for the first time in their lives and others have stopped using tanning beds!!! Yay!
It's so very important that you are aware of what UV Rays are and what they are capable of.
In the beginning of May at the start of my journey, a woman that I know, had a spot that formed on her shoulder in I think December 2013? It needed to be checked out but she kept putting it off. She made an appointment with the dermatologist in march, but cancelled it. She really thought it was no big deal. After my diagnosis, she made another appointment and kept it. Thank goodness she did! The spot was biopsied and it came back as Basal Cell Carcinoma.
Is that Melanoma??? NO! But it is a form of skin cancer.
Surprise! Melanoma is not the only kind of skin cancer. There is a family of skin cancers! They consist of:
Melanoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Lymphoma of the skin
ITS A FACT THAT SKIN CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF CANCER IN THE U.S.
So here's a little education skin cancer 101
We will start with mine....
MELANOMA
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in the cells (melanocytes) that control the pigment in your skin. This illustration shows melanoma cells extending from the surface of the skin into the deeper skin layers.
•About 65% of Melanoma is caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight
•It takes only one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age to more than double a persons chance of developing Melanoma later in life
•Exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases a persons risk of developing Melanoma by 75%
•Melanoma is not just a skin cancer. It can develop anywhere on the body. Eyes, scalp, nails, feet, mouth, etc
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinomas usually develop on sun-exposed parts of your body, especially your head and neck. A much smaller number occur on the trunk and legs. Yet basal cell carcinomas can also occur on parts of your body that are rarely exposed to sunlight.
Although a general warning sign of skin cancer is a sore that won't heal or that repeatedly bleeds and scabs over, basal cell cancer may also appear as:
Squamous cell carcinoma is a common form of skin cancer that develops in the thin, flat squamous cells that make up the outer layer of the skin.
Squamous cell carcinoma is usually not life-threatening, though it can be aggressive in some cases. Untreated, squamous cell carcinoma can grow large or spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.
Most squamous cell carcinomas result from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps. Avoiding UV light helps reduce your risk of squamous cell carcinoma and other forms of skin cancer.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare type of skin cancer that usually appears as a flesh-colored or bluish-red nodule, often on your face, head or neck. Merkel cell carcinoma is also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin.
Merkel cell carcinoma most often develops in older people. Long-term sun exposure or a weak immune system may increase your risk of developing Merkel cell carcinoma.
Merkel cell carcinoma tends to grow fast and to spread quickly to other parts of your body. Treatment options for Merkel cell carcinoma often depend on whether the cancer has spread beyond the skin.
Lymphoma of the Skin
Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system. Lymphocytes are in the lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues (such as the spleen, bone marrow, and some other organs, including the skin).There are 2 main types of lymphomas.
Watch your time out in the sun and welcome to the world of protection in sunscreen:
SUNSCREEN- what do I need to know?
What should I look for?
Look for the words "broad spectrum" and use SPF 30 or higher
What does SPF mean? It stands for sun protection factor. It refers to how much ultraviolet radiation it takes to burn your skin when it is unprotected.
SPF relates to both the duration of sun exposure and the intensity of the sun's rays.
How much should I use?
It should be applied liberally.
Approximately 15 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours you are out in the sun. It should be reapplied every hour if you are sweating or swimming. Don't forget your lips, ears, hands, feet and the back of your neck.
So what do I use and recommend?
There are many great products but here are my top picks:
Ole Henriksen SPF 50
Peter Thomas Roth SPF 30
Murad SPF 30
Shiseido SPF 50
Target brand SPF 30
Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50
Bert's Bees SPF 30 (Chemical Free)
Don't be afraid of the sun, but arm yourself with knowledge & protection and help diminish your chances of skin cancer!
Some of our greatest memories were in the Sun!
Much more memories to come of our safer life in the sun............................................
I've said from the very beginning of this that if it makes a difference in just one person's life, than none of this has to be in vein.
It has already not just touched one, but many. Many people that I know and love have made appointments with dermatologists and have gotten body checks. Some have started wearing sunblock for the first time in their lives and others have stopped using tanning beds!!! Yay!
It's so very important that you are aware of what UV Rays are and what they are capable of.
In the beginning of May at the start of my journey, a woman that I know, had a spot that formed on her shoulder in I think December 2013? It needed to be checked out but she kept putting it off. She made an appointment with the dermatologist in march, but cancelled it. She really thought it was no big deal. After my diagnosis, she made another appointment and kept it. Thank goodness she did! The spot was biopsied and it came back as Basal Cell Carcinoma.
Is that Melanoma??? NO! But it is a form of skin cancer.
Surprise! Melanoma is not the only kind of skin cancer. There is a family of skin cancers! They consist of:
Melanoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Lymphoma of the skin
ITS A FACT THAT SKIN CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF CANCER IN THE U.S.
So here's a little education skin cancer 101
We will start with mine....
MELANOMA
•It is estimated that there will be 77,000 Melanoma diagnosis and nearly 10,000 deaths in 2014
•Melanoma does not discriminate by age, gender, or race. Everyone is at risk•About 65% of Melanoma is caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight
•It takes only one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age to more than double a persons chance of developing Melanoma later in life
•Exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases a persons risk of developing Melanoma by 75%
•Melanoma is not just a skin cancer. It can develop anywhere on the body. Eyes, scalp, nails, feet, mouth, etc
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Although a general warning sign of skin cancer is a sore that won't heal or that repeatedly bleeds and scabs over, basal cell cancer may also appear as:
- A pearly white or waxy bump, often with visible blood vessels, on your face, ears or neck. The bump may bleed and develop a crust. In darker skinned people, this type of cancer may be brown or black.
- A flat, scaly, brown or flesh-colored patch on your back or chest. Over time, these patches can grow quite large.
- More rarely, a white, waxy scar. This type of basal cell carcinoma is easy to overlook, but it may be a sign of a particularly invasive and disfiguring cancer called morpheaform basal cell carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a common form of skin cancer that develops in the thin, flat squamous cells that make up the outer layer of the skin.
Squamous cell carcinoma is usually not life-threatening, though it can be aggressive in some cases. Untreated, squamous cell carcinoma can grow large or spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.
Most squamous cell carcinomas result from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps. Avoiding UV light helps reduce your risk of squamous cell carcinoma and other forms of skin cancer.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Merkel cell carcinoma most often develops in older people. Long-term sun exposure or a weak immune system may increase your risk of developing Merkel cell carcinoma.
Merkel cell carcinoma tends to grow fast and to spread quickly to other parts of your body. Treatment options for Merkel cell carcinoma often depend on whether the cancer has spread beyond the skin.
Lymphoma of the Skin
Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system. Lymphocytes are in the lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues (such as the spleen, bone marrow, and some other organs, including the skin).There are 2 main types of lymphomas.
- Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, or Hodgkin’s disease)
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, NHL, or sometimes just lymphoma), which contains all other lymphomas, including all skin lymphomas
Where does that leave me? Us? Scared of the sun? Staying indoors forever?
Absolutely NOT!Watch your time out in the sun and welcome to the world of protection in sunscreen:
SUNSCREEN- what do I need to know?
What should I look for?
Look for the words "broad spectrum" and use SPF 30 or higher
What does SPF mean? It stands for sun protection factor. It refers to how much ultraviolet radiation it takes to burn your skin when it is unprotected.
SPF relates to both the duration of sun exposure and the intensity of the sun's rays.
How much should I use?
It should be applied liberally.
Approximately 15 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours you are out in the sun. It should be reapplied every hour if you are sweating or swimming. Don't forget your lips, ears, hands, feet and the back of your neck.
So what do I use and recommend?
There are many great products but here are my top picks:
Ole Henriksen SPF 50
Peter Thomas Roth SPF 30
Murad SPF 30
Shiseido SPF 50
Target brand SPF 30
Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50
Bert's Bees SPF 30 (Chemical Free)
 Belize 2004 |
Some of our greatest memories were in the Sun!
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| Disney World 2006 |
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| Jamaica 2005 |
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| Riviera Maya, Mexico 2007 |
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| Grand Cayman 2009 |
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Cozumel, Mexico 2010  |
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