Lefty

In the spirit of another blogger’s confession, I’ll admit that I haven’t always been so diligent about applying sunscreen every day.  On weekends, I’m the poster boy for sunscreen application as I apply it before walking out the door, especially when I’m working in the yard or just spending time outdoors.  But on the week days, I have convinced myself that my exposure to the sun is very limited and that sunscreen might not be needed.

I have a 25 minute commute which starts at 7:30 each morning.  I drive north, which means the morning sun is mostly blocked as it shines dimly through the passenger-side window.  I work in a cubicle farm with absolutely no windows in the office or on the manufacturing floor.  Most of my work days last well past 5:00, so if the sun is still shining at all when I leave, it sets in the western sky through my passenger window again as I commute home.  I really get very little sun if at all.

Or so I thought.

One of the first things I do every work day morning is jump in the shower.  While this wakes me up a little, the sight of me in the full length mirror as I step out of the shower stall scares me fully awake.  After the shock, I take advantage of the mirror and take a quick look at my skin, looking for anything different.  Yes, I check my skin daily…perhaps a tad more than the recommended monthly check, but I figure if I’m exposed in the morning, why not?  I have a few larger moles that my dermatologist and general practitioner have deemed healthy, but I watch closely anyhow.  In fact, my skin check is usually quite close up using a hand mirror.  But what I noticed the other day was during the initial step out of the shower…a “wider picture” if you will.

I noticed that I have basically no tan lines, except along my left tricep.  My left arm is at least a subtle shade darker than my right.  When I wear a polo shirt (my typical work attire), the difference is not noticeable, but when I’m in shower mode, the darker arm is clear as day.

There are a couple reasons for this.  First of all, while a window will block most UVB rays (the ones that cause burning), a majority of the UVA rays (the ones responsible for skin aging and used in most tanning beds) penetrate and shine right on your skin.  Despite being on the side opposite of the sun as I drive, my left side is still more exposed to the sun than my right.  Remember this guy?

He’s the trucker that made the news a couple years ago because of the sun damage to the left side of his face.  Dermatoheliosis, or photoaging, is due to chronic exposure to UVA and UVB rays. The result is a gradual thickening and wrinkling of the skin.  Twenty-eight years of driving his truck led to this excessive exposure.

Of course, my commute offers me far less exposure than did this trucker, so my condition is nowhere near as drastic.  But there is one other factor to my darkened left arm.  The air conditioner has been busted in my car for well over a year.  Yes, I drive mostly with the window down and therefore rest my arm upon the door.  It’s still on the opposite side of the car from the rising or setting sun as I drive and it’s well outside of the peak sun hours of 10AM to 2PM, but it still rests unprotected as I drive.  Despite the apparent safer conditions, my left arm has a slight bit of sun damage.

In a slight bit of irony, just as I noticed my arm, the following ad from Banana Boat came to my attention.

Yep, that’s me.  Except now, I've learned my lesson.  Every morning as I get out of the shower (eeek!), I check my skin and then apply sunscreen to my arms and neck.  I also now keep a small bottle of sunscreen in my briefcase and apply it to my arms before heading home.

Please realize that sun exposure is constant from morning ‘til night.  While the early morning sunlight may seem safer, there are still UVA and UVB rays hitting your skin.  When you sit in your car (hopefully with air conditioning), the sun that shines through your wind shield still carries along UVA rays.  The same holds true of windows in your home or office…make sure to draw the shades or wear sunscreen!  Please be diligent and wear your sunscreen even when you’re convinced it’s not necessary.

Being "That Guy"

We all have heard of “That Guy.”

Who?

You know…that guy that always parks his car under the tree.  Oh, THAT guy!

Who?

You know…that lady that walks two huge dogs around the block at 7:00 every night.  Oh, THAT lady!

Who?

You know…the actor that played in that bad movie about the dinosaurs in the volcano.  Oh, THAT guy!

Not only do you know of “That Guy,” you probably are “That Guy” to someone else.  I’m sure I’ve been referred to as the guy who drives the beat-up Toyota Corolla, or the guy that works on the General Electric product, or the guy that has the twins.  “That guy” is usually defined by his behavior or actions, which may or may not be a good thing.  The other day, I was referred as “That Guy” in a very good way indeed.

“That guy that always talks about skin cancer.”

I wear that title with pride because I didn’t earn it from brash and annoying behavior (at least I don’t think I did). Instead, I became “That Guy” through subtle consistency:

• My screen saver at work has three oscillating words floating back and forth that read, “Wear your sunscreen!”
• On Casual Friday, I usually wear a t-shirt related to a melanoma fund-raising event or one of my BITNP t-shirts.
• My colleague, Elliot often places a newspaper or magazine article related to sun safety or melanoma on my desk.  Rather than store it in my briefcase, I leave it laying there for others to see when they come by my desk.
• When others are surfing for online news during their lunch break, I’ll seek out skin cancer-related articles and keep them on my screen for others to see.
• While questions about it are rare, I wear my melanoma awareness wrist band daily.
• Although such conversations are also rare, I jump in anytime skin cancer or sun safety is mentioned…not in a preaching way but just to participate in discussion.
• When people ask me how my evening was, I’ll often say, “Pretty good…I wrote a blog post last night about tanning beds (or whatever) and got a good response.”

I have found that being “That Guy,” has affected how people act around me:

• When someone comes to work on Monday with a sun burn or tan, others will whisper “You better not let Al see you!”
• If someone has a spot or mole on her skin, they’ll ask me about it.  (I remind them that I’m not a doctor…but encourage them to see one).
• I am approached about sun screen all the time.  Someone might be looking for a loophole (“What SPF will protect me but still allow me to get some color?” Um…if you get color, you’re not protected).  Others might be seeking the best brand or application.  I refer them to my blogs or other sites.
• People brag to me when they take positive action towards sun safety (“Hey Al, just wanted you to know I rented an umbrella at the beach.”  “Hey Al, I went to the dermatologist yesterday and they told me…” (I’m most proud of this effect).

You can be “That guy (or gal) that always talks about skin cancer” as well.  You don’t have to stand on a pulpit with your Skin Cancer Foundation Journal in one hand and a bottle of SPF 30 in the other.  You can be approachable and still be “That Guy.”

People are more aware of how “That Guy” treats his car by knowing he parks it under the tree every day.  Being “That Guy” that always talks about skin cancer hopefully makes people aware of my mission and more aware of skin cancer and sun safety.

Be “That Guy!”

Wear a Hat!

When I was a lifeguard in high school and college, I wore little more than swim trunks, sun glasses and a sun visor.  The only reason I wore the latter was to shade my eyes so that I could watch the swimmers without glare from the sun above.  (The polarized sun glasses took care of the glare from the water).  I had no real concern about shading my face or scalp, especially since I had a full mane of wavy blonde hair to keep my head from burning.

<sigh>  Those were the days.

Now, I dare not venture outdoors without at least a cap (golf cap, ball cap…whatever you want to call it).  My protective mane has all but disappeared and my last experience wearing a sun visor left me with a scalp burn that would do a monk proud.  When I swim, I spray on some SPF 30 Banana Boat Body and Scalp Spray, but the hat goes right back on my head after I get back out.  Aside from my significant collection of caps, my favorite head adornment is my trusty wide-brimmed straw hat!

It’s important to realize that man (or woman) cannot fight UV rays with sunscreen alone.  You need to rock those fashionable shades (with 100% UV protection), wear clothing if possible, and definitely wear a hat.  I can vouch that, despite following EVERY guideline for applying and reapplying sunscreen during my vacation, I still had some darker tone on my forearms and lower legs…the places I was not covered by clothing or hat.  This past weekend, I worked in the yard, again slathered in sunscreen applied per all the guidelines while wearing my sweat-stained “yard work” cap.  At the end of the day, my neck had a slight red glow to it.  (Please hold the redneck jokes).  Not really burned to a crisp, but definitely had some sun exposure.  Oh yeah…it was also a cloudy day!

Did you know that about 23% or all men have their first melanoma spotted on their head?  For women, it’s 7%.  And if you recall my informal survey last September, 25% of respondents stated their melanoma was discovered on the head!  I guess my point is…wear a hat! 

Again, during my vacation (can you tell my mind still wants to hang on to that relaxing weekend?) I noticed quite a few people poolside and on the beach that were doing exactly that…wearing a hat!  In fact, I can’t recall seeing as many noggin’ covers as I saw this year.  So with my last reminder to wear your hat as much as possible, here are a few photos I took of nearby sun-smart hat wearers.  (And yes, Respect the Rays, I thought of you and your album of hat photos as I risked voyeur charges while taking these photos…J )

2013 Melanoma Awareness Resolu...umm...Plans



Image: Livescience.com

Each year I decide upon a set of personal New Year’s Resolutions.  I guess I use the calendar change as a benchmark as to where I am versus a year ago…and set goals as to where I’d like to be in another year.  Consider it a personal employee evaluation.  So let’s review last year’s personal resolutions.

1.       Lose 15 pounds. (I gained 8)

2.       Become more financially secure. (Fiscal cliff?  HA!  I’ve been in a Fiscal Abyss for several months now!  Help!)

3.       Reduce the amount of time spent at work. (I may change my mailing address to “the butt at my desk.”)

4.       Spend more time at home with my wife and kids. (See mailing address above)

5.       Eat healthy foods.  (I ate a salad at McD’s yesterday, but dang that pizza tonight tasted sooo good!)

6.       Exercise more. (Ummmmm…does grunting when I get out of bed count?)

7.       Get more sleep. (Have you noticed how late I usually write these posts?)

Okay…so I fell a bit short this past year.  But I intend to make the exact same resolutions this year (except now to lose 23 pounds) and this year I’ll meet them all.  Yep.  I sure will.  Uh huh.

Isn’t the definition of insanity the act of expecting a different outcome while attempting the same task over and over?  Just wondering.

Anyhow, I’m not here to preach about my personal resolutions.  Instead, I want to share my other resolut…umm…let’s not call them resolutions.  Or even goals.  Let’s just call them plain ol’ plans.  Why?  Because I damn well will work towards these tasks and I don’t plan on falling short!  These are my plans in 2013 with regards to melanoma awareness and sun safety.

1.       Continue writing this blog at least once a week if not more frequently.  Lately, I’ve felt that I’ve shared it all over and over.  I felt the same way last year…I’m sure it’s just the holiday rush.  But just as the Grinch had a mountaintop epiphany, I realize that it’s okay to repeat the same message over and over.  Wear sunscreen…get your skin checked…stay out of tanning beds.  Over and over…it’s a message that NEEDS to be heard!  I won’t stop!

2.       Share the message of sun safety and skin screenings with everyone I can…not just in this blog.  I won’t leap out of dark alleys brandishing sunscreen, but I’ll ask my friends and co-workers if they’ve had their skin checked lately.

3.       Use any talents I have to assist with the passage of the Ban the Tan bill in North Carolina.  I plan to write my representatives and help others write to theirs.  I plan to write several blogs sharing stories of North Carolina citizens who have been touched by melanoma.  I will be heard and they WILL listen.  And they WILL pass the bill!

4.        Promote the next AIM Walk in Charlotte as much as possible and hopefully attend again.

5.       Promote the Amanda-Corey Memorial walk for MRF held in my hometown, and help make it the biggest melanoma awareness event in eastern North Carolina.

6.       Wear sunscreen and get my skin checked.

The best part of these resolu…umm…plans is that you can do them, too!  Spread the word, write your representatives in your town, county or state, and participate in a walk or other fund-raiser.  And by all means, wear your sunscreen and get your skin checked!

2012 was a great year for melanoma awareness…and 2013 will be even better.  You can count on that!

Making Mistakes and Learning

A couple weeks ago I had a garage sale.  In my family, we PLAN such an event and our lives for two solid weeks lead to a single Saturday morning where we lay out unwanted treasures for others to barter and buy.  However, sometimes Mother Nature tries to throw a curve ball our way. 

Such was the case recently when, in the middle of wonderfully mild pre-spring days in the 70’s, she tosses in this one particular morning where the temperature was 35 degrees.  Undaunted, we pulled out the space heater (and put a “Not for sale” sign upon it) and held the sale as planned.  Of course, I couldn’t simply sit down the entire time.  I often found myself sipping coffee and negotiating the price of Barbie Dolls and faded prints from Kirkland’s while standing on the driveway.  In the chill of the morning, the morning sun felt very nice.

After the sale was over, we counted the money and shoved the remaining items into the attic for a future sale.  The heater was put away, the coffee pot cleaned, and I freshened up to face the day.  That’s when I felt it.  As I rubbed the comb through my hair, I felt the sensitivity on my scalp.  I’d become sun burnt.

The day had started off cloudy and I didn’t even think to wear my hat.  Actually, I’m not a causal hat-wearing person.  I typically wear them when I golf or know that I’ll be out in the sun for an extended time.  I guess that’s the thing…there are times that you don’t plan for.  I didn’t “plan” to be in the sun for a couple of chilly hours.  But I was.

Ironically, a co-worker of mine came up to me the following Monday morning and admitted that she had been “bad.”  She knows my melanoma awareness mission and stated that she and her husband had made plans for the weekend, but was diverted and found themselves outdoors more than expected.  As a result, she had a slight pinkish tone on her neck and shoulders.

Yesterday, I read “Pretty in Pale” and saw that Katie had also recently “sinned.”  We all had been sun-kissed and felt bad about it.

And that’s good.

There are so many people out there that don’t feel bad about it.  Many even feel good about it…loving “the burn” and looking forward to the tanner tone after the skin peels away.  They don’t feel guilty because they’re not aware or educated about sun safety.  They’re not aware that their ignorance could lead to far greater problems.

We’re all going to make mistake.  I suppose the lesson that our collective experience can teach is to be better prepared the next time.  Make putting on sunscreen a habitual thing.  Wear a hat on all days and create a new “look” for yourself as you experiment with various “hat looks.”  And by all means, realize that mistakes happen and it’s okay as long as it’s not repeated and ignored.  Feeling guilty about a sun burn is a good sign that we’re aware.  Now it’s time we start letting other folks realize their mistakes.

The Earlier They Learn, The Less They'll Burn

A new study by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York states that pre-adolescent kids (pre-teens to teens) are not regularly using sunscreen, despite the fact that many had suffered earlier sunburns.  It was noted that the kids (yes, kids) felt that they looked better with a tan.  In fact, some claimed that they looked healthier with a tan.

This has to change. 

There are many great skin cancer awareness PSAs and anti-tanning campaigns, but most seem to be aimed at teens and young adults (mostly women).  That’s not a bad thing at all, but I think this new study shows that education needs to happen earlier.  I’d personally like to see it start pre-pre-teen…beginning in early elementary school.  Or earlier from the parent to their child!  When a child is taught to look both ways before walking across a street, or not to talk to strangers, he should as routinely be taught about sun safety.  A child probably won’t understand skin cancer or wrinkly skin, but they might listen when one explains that the sun can provide bad sunburns.

My nine-year-old daughter asked me this past summer if the sun was bad.  She had seen my efforts regarding this blog site and the BITNP campaign and simply assumed that the sun must be bad.  I explained to her that the sun was life-giving and provided energy and warmth.  The sun is good!  “So why are you telling people to stay away from it?”  I tried to explain UV rays and got a blank stare.  Then I thought of an analogy.

“Think about water.  Is water good?”

“Yes…because you need to drink water and you can swim in water and the plants need water.  So yes, water is good!”

“But what happens if someone that doesn’t know how to swim goes into deep water?” 

She stared…thinking deeply.  “Well, I guess water is bad?”

“No…water is good, but you have to be careful around it.  If you aren’t careful, water can be trouble.”

“So…wearing sunscreen in the sun is kind of like wearing a life jacket in deep water?”

I couldn’t have worded it better myself.

I don’t know if my kids (both now 9 going on 18) will maintain daddy’s respect for the sun.  They’re entering pre-teens and already becoming a little rebellious.  But having taught them early in life, they have a fighting chance.  I would hope that they do not succumb to peer-pressure and that they stay away from tanning beds.  Better yet, I hope they become mini-advocates against tanning.  She’s in Girl Scouts now and has already asked me if there’s something she can do to help out BITNP within her troop.  Atta girl.

I’ve been working on a presentation for pre-teen classrooms…or Girl Scout troops.  It’s a work-in-progress and I hope to have at least a working draft in May when I plan to speak to the troop.  But for now, there are some great resources for educational material from the Melanoma Education Foundation and the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation.  Check them out and try to spread the word to the kids in your life. 

The earlier they learn, the less they burn.  And yes, I just made that up.  :)

The Gorgeous Tan?

The other day, I was at the grocery store when the male teenaged check-out clerk looked past my shoulder and muttered, “Wow!”  I turned to follow his drooling gaze and saw an attractive young woman walking into the store.  She was wearing a light blue spaghetti-strap top, white summer shorts, and flip-flops; had short dark hair; and sported a gorgeous tan (with tell-tale tan lines near her neck).

Oops…I said a bad word there…didn’t I?  Put down the heavy objects and let me continue (this includes you Chelsea).

I admit that I always had a “thing” about tanned girls.  I also had an attraction to freckled girls as well.  I grew up in a “baby-oil as sun-block” environment, so I pretty much everyone of the opposite sex was either tanned or freckled in the summer.  Basically, I was programmed to appreciate sun-kissed skin.  And this was my initial impression of this lady walking into the grocery store.

But then the black wristband twisted my arm a bit and I reassessed my thoughts.  Did I really think she had a gorgeous tan, or was she a gorgeous girl with a tan?  As I think back now, I was as attracted to certain girls in high school and college in the sweater-bundled winter months in West Virginia as I was during the summer months.  It wasn’t the tan after all.

My point is that one doesn’t need a tan to look attractive.  Take a look at these two famous celebrities:

© http://www.mahgoud.blogspot.com/ and ©www.imbd.com

Can you imagine what Nicole Kidman or Anne Hathaway would look like with a tan?  Neither can I.  Their natural tone is so incredibly beautiful that anything other than “natural” would be a negative distraction.

But it’s not just about being pale.  Can you imagine these beautiful women with unnaturally lighter skin?

©www.billboard.com and ©www.unseensports.blogpot.com

No matter the shade, dark or light, it's the natrual look that's best.

I’m not the only one to think this.  I ran across a website asking which of Angelina Jolie’s “look” below was preferred:



© http://www.damnimcute.com/

A whopping 70.74% of the voters chose the “pale,” more natural look.

Again, it’s all about NATURAL tones.  One should embrace one’s natural skin tone.  Staying out of the sun, AND TANNING BEDS, helps keep your skin naturally beautiful.  It also reduces skin aging and inhibits the formation of wrinkles.  Keeping one’s skin naturally beautiful might even make this crew a little more attractive:



© http://www.fanpop.com/



Well…maybe.

Remember, getting a tan just makes you more tan…it’s doesn’t make you more beautiful.

An Awful "Legacy"



A potential legacy of cancer



If you recall from an earlier post, I get my hair cut at a local salon that also owns UV tanning equipment.  I returned again today (wearing my BITNP t-shirt) and decided to poke around a bit (with my camera) while the rest of my family was getting their locks trimmed.  I’ll have a more detailed post later, but I had to share this one discovery.

There’s one tanning system they have called “The Legacy.”  It’s a “tanning tube” in which one inserts their legs only as they sit in a raised chair at one end.  I suppose this is catered towards the female clients that want those glowing tanned legs as they wear summer shorts.

Legacy. 

Can you believe it?  The only legacy this machine will make is an increased risk and occurrence of skin cancer!  Considering that 38 percent of melanoma on women is discovered on the legs, this is an appalling apparatus.  I just couldn’t believe it!

Again, I’ll have more to share later on solariums, but I just wanted to share this ironic and shocking discovery.

Ugh.

Chemicals in Sunscreen

I had a conversation with a good friend today who shared a story about her daughters' visit to the beach with their grandparents.  She said that they all had a good time and the grandmother had a glowing report on the girls' behavior in general.  But then she said one interesting thing...that one of her grand daughters uses too much sunscreen.  "I told her she just loads it on, she's not going to get a tan at all."  Needless to say, my friend responded to her mother with "Yeah, and she won't get burnt either, and therefore lessens her chances of gettng skin cancer."  (Atta girl)

She went on to mention to me that her fair-skinned daughter has "endured teasing from friends and people who just think their comments are funny, considered it, and at the cusp of teenagerhood has decided that fewer wrinkles and a lesser chance of skin cancer at 50 is more important than a tan now."  (Atta girl..again)  It's sad to think that we have to fight not only ignorance about skin cancer, but peer pressure as well.

But the point I wanted to bring up is that the grandmother apparently muttered something about "chemicals" when discussing the use of sunscreen.  This is an arguement/opinion that I've heard before, so it prompted me to dig into the article I linked in my last post.  Here's what the article had to say:

With regard to ingredients, many dermatologists recommend products with micronized titanium or zinc oxide as the most effective sun blockers that leave no white residue on the skin. There is some concern, based on animal studies, that the most popular ingredient in sunscreens, oxybenzone, may disrupt natural hormones, but the scientific evidence is scant.

Another chemical, retinyl palmitate, sometimes listed among the inactive ingredients, has been linked to skin cancers in animal studies. Because it is converted into a compound that can cause birth defects, it should be avoided by women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant.

However, although more studies of these possible risks should be done, Consumer Reports concluded that “the proven benefits of sunscreen outweigh any potential risks."

- NY Times

Chemicals in any lotion or cream is a valid concern...so I won't downplay anyone's fears.  At the same time, one has to learn that sun exposure can be a deadly thing as well.  A "simple" sunburn can have major consequences.  So if you have a fear of sunscreen chemicals, seek reliable natural alternatives.  Stay in the shade...wear protective clothing...wear a proper hat...research "natural" sunscreens (if they exist and are reliable).  Don't assume a "base tan" provides ample protection...it doesn't.  Whatever your choice...be sun smart and sun safe!

And to my friend's mother, I'd say, "your grand daughter isn't the palest girl on the beach, she's the brightest girl on the beach!"

All About Sunscreen

I was going to write an information piece on the new sunscreen rules (to be applied next year) but I ran across an article in the New York Times that explains it far better than I ever could.  The important thing to realize is that we probably don't put on enough sunscreen now...so make sure to reapply it every two hours.  Also, don't just apply it when you go to the beach or an outdoor activity...make it a part of your daily routine.  If you work indoors like me, spray it on in the morning to prevent "commuter tan."  Take a can with you to spray if you go outdoors at lunch, and reapply before commuting back home.

But as I said, the following article has so much more to share, so please read!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/health/21brody.html?_r=1

What's The UV Index Where YOU Live?

You may have noticed that I attached a UV Index gadget to the top left of this blog.  (Thanks to Melissa of “Melanoma Sucks” for sharing this).  If you enter your zip code, it’ll take you to the EPA website where it will present your UV index for the day.  Gadgets are cool.

But what exactly is the UV Index?  I consulted the Google-Gurus and found this excerpt from the NOAA and National Weather Service:

The UV Index is a next day forecast of the amount of skin damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth's surface at the time when the sun is highest in the sky (solar noon). The amount of UV radiation reaching the surface is primarily related to the elevation of the sun in the sky, the amount of ozone in the stratosphere, and the amount of clouds present. The UV Index can range from 0 (when it is night time) to 15 or 16 (in the tropics at high elevations under clear skies). UV radiation is greatest when the sun is highest in the sky and rapidly decreases as the sun approaches the horizon.  The higher the UV Index, the greater the dose rate of skin damaging (and eye damaging) UV radiation. Consequently, the higher the UV Index, the smaller the time it takes before skin damage occurs.

Below is a chart showing the minutes to skin damage chart, depending on the UV Index and how easily you sun burn:

What this basically says is that if you “usually” burn and the UV Index is at “7”, you’ll start seeing sun damage at around 28 minutes.  If you “rarely” burn, then you’d start seeing sun damage at 70 minutes.

Anything that indicates that one should wear sunscreen is a good thing.  The UV Index for Raleigh today was 11+ (that’s as high as they post), so it was definitely a day to wear sunscreen.

What I don’t like about the chart above is the suggestion that it’s okay to wander around in the sun unprotected for the minimum time listed.  I think this gives a false sense of security.  It’s best to simply tell everyone to wear sunscreen despite the UV Index.  Anyone who ventured outside in Raleigh today at noon who might “sometimes” burn probably would not have wanted to be unprotected in the sun for the 30 minutes implied as safe.  It was hot, sunny and not a safe place to be without sun protection.

Below is another chart I found which seems a little better:

This one doesn’t distinguish between skin sensitivity, but it pretty much just says if the UV Index is high, seek protection.  What I don’t like is the recommendation for UV1 or UV12, “No protection required!”  I guess living in the south, I can’t imagine too many days where no protection is required…and if such a day does exist, I’d probably want to keep my shirt on anyhow.

One thing I read on the EPA site is that once the UV Index goes above 6, a UV Alert is issued.  Okay, when I imagine an "alert," I think of an announcement that's important and wide spread.  As I said, the UV Index today was 11+, and yet I saw no evidence of an alert.  I don’t get the daily paper, so it might have been in there.  But I do watch the local news and check out the websites.  Neither had one bit of information about the UV Index short of a link buried deep within other links such as local lake levels and historical hurricane maps.  I emailed one local TV station to ask why they don’t post the UV index…once I hear something, I’ll post their response.  I suspect that they might say that the UV Index is posted for only the noon hour each day (true) and that it’s not a true reflection of the entire day’s sun exposure, therefore they don't report it.  Or they might simply state that, at least in this area, there’s an alert every day in the summer months, so why constantly post it when there’s nothing “new” to report?  I certainly hope the latter is not the case.

The UV Index is not a perfect tool, but again, anything that gets a person to consider the consequences of going into the sun unprotected is a good thing.  So feel free to type in your zip code and determine how strong the “burn” is in your town.  Either way, wear the sunscreen!

Sun Safe and Sheik (Not Chic) Hats



Sheik hat, sunglasses, suncreen, and hydrating in the shade!



Vacationing at the beach, swimming at the neighborhood pool, and working in the yard…these are activities that have thrust me well into sun-protection mode.  With being a little more aware this year, I have a few observations and tips to share:

·         Apply your sunscreen before going to the beach initially.  If you try to apply it at the beach and you prefer spray sunscreen, the ocean breeze will spread it more on the group 30 feet away than on you.  If you apply lotion, it will be fine, but expect to spread sand all over your body as well.  I neglected to apply beforehand the first time, so I used a combo of the two at the beach.  I make my beach neighbors glisten and my skin look like it was covered I textured paint.  (But I still wore it!)

·         Spray-type sunscreen is REAL easy to apply to kids, with less wriggling and tickling giggles.  But it seems that one can of spray lasts for only one application to a family of four.  At $8 to $10 per can, it was an expensive application.  In that regard, I’ve since learned that Target brand sunscreen was ranked very close to Banana Boat and Coppertone by Consumer Reports, and it’s nearly half the price!

·         Wear wrap-around sunglasses.  You know…the kind that David Duvall made famous?  (Does anyone remember David Duvall?)  They’re futuristic looking and they protect your eyes well.  Plus, when driving, I find there to be less glare when the sun’s at my side.  But beware, wrap-around shades does not mean that your wife can’t tell when you’re watching passing…um…patrons at the beach.  You’ll still have bruised ribs by the end of your visit.

·         Baseball/golf caps cause an increase of red necks.  No…I’m talking about real red-colored necks.  Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your neck, or better yet, wear a hat that provides protection to the entire neck.  I wear a wide-brimmed straw hat socially and at the beach while I don a hat that my kids say make me look like a sheik when I mow my lawn.  The latter is a bit hot to wear, but provides great protection.

·         Speaking of hats, visors do not protect the scalp.  And for those who are hair-challenged like me, this leads to embarrassing red monk head.

·         Wear a shirt when you work outside.  Trust me, when you’re man in your late 40’s, this is more of a fashion necessity than sun-safe advice.

·         One thing I read…a wet t-shirt offers almost no sun protection.  No wonder such contests are usually held indoors and at night.  Seriously though, my parents used to have me wear a shirt in the pool to protect from sunburn, and now I know why it never seemed to work.

·         Don’t forget your feet!  If there’s any part of my body that I burned more than others when I was younger, it was my feet or ankles.

·         Stay hydrated!  This means drink lots of good ol’ water.  Beer tastes great after mowing a lawn, but it actually dehydrates, as does all alcohol.  Refresh your body with water before refreshing your taste buds.

·         Seek shade whenever you can.  The best investment we made at the beach was one of the large rental umbrellas and chairs.  We paid $18 for half a day and sat in the shade the entire time.  Plus, we witnessed many folks chasing their personal umbrellas down the beach in the strong wind while ours stayed put the entire time.

·         Do the yard work after 4:00.  Between 10:00AM and 4:00OM is when the sun is at its peak, and your neighbors will thank you for not mowing the lawn at 7:00AM.

You can stay safe in the sun, but you can still have fun!