No longer worshiping a bronzed body

Being tan used to be important to me. I even liked tan lines so I could see the difference in the color of my skin.

As a kid no one talked about skin cancer. Now dermatologists are one of the doctors so many of my friends and family visit on a regular basis because of the damage we did to our skin in our younger years.

Long sleeves can be about sun protection and not warmth. (Image: Sue Wood)

“Non-melanoma skin cancer, which includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, is the most common form of cancer. It affects more than 3 million Americans each year. Exactly how many new cases there are each year isn’t clear because doctors can often treat it in their office and don’t have to report cases to cancer registries,” according to WebMD.com.

I was at my derm’s office earlier this month in Carson City where he froze off three precancerous spots—two on my scalp, one just above my knee.

In the past I’ve had stuff “dug out” which required stitches to close the hole. Basal is all I’ve had to date.

A good friend of mine wasn’t so lucky. He died from melanoma in his 40s. The first sign was on his foot. That’s why my feet get doused in protection when they are exposed. That was a sad lesson to learn—about needing to protect all exposed body parts.

Someone close to me just finished about a month’s worth of radiation on a squamous site on her calf that would not heal. So far so good.

Put dermatology visits on your list of annual doctors’ visits. Make sure the person checks you from head to toe—because not all of them do. And sunscreen—use it—everywhere.

Prevention and early detection are key to so many health issues. Remember, skin is the largest organ in the human body.