How many sunburns have you had in your lifetime? Do you know? One? Four? Ten? More than you can remember? Most people might struggle with the answer to this question, but did you know that having more than five sunburns in your lifetime doubles your chance of malignant melanoma? Doubles the chance!
Depending on your age, you may have been young and spent a great deal of time in the sun during an era when sunscreen wasn’t a requirement for spending time in the sun. During the 70s and 80s sunscreen was only beginning to emerge with prevalent SPF numbers being low; common choices were 4, 6 and 8.
Consider these anecdotes:
- When I was ten or eleven, I got a sunburn from spending a day in my cousin’s pool. No one was wearing sunblock and we were having so much fun that we hardly got out of the pool or the sun. By the end of the day, I was so burnt on my shoulders that they scabbed over. They were sore and looked scarred, tender, and pink for a long time.
- In my twenties, I got offered free accommodation on Cape Cod for a weekend, so I called my college roommate and we headed down the Cape, armed with SPF 8! We spent the entire day on the beach. I was so burned I couldn’t put on long pants for days. I got over my anxiety about wearing shorts, but I worry about the damage that burn did.
- Hanging out with my older sister and her friends, I wanted to fit in. I really didn’t love the beach, but they invited me along and I wanted to be one of the “cool kids”. Sun tan lotion, not sunscreen, was the rule of the day. I fell asleep on my stomach. They tried to get me to roll over, but my back was roasted – lobster red! I make sure to get my back checked regularly because of that burn.
If you remember burns like these from your youth (or even if you don’t!), get your skin checked annually. Doctors recommend adults 18 years or older have an annual skin check with a dermatologist. Skin cancers – including melanoma – when detected early, can be treated successfully and have positive outcomes.
While the burns of our youth may come back to haunt us, be vigilant about noticing any changes to your skin, and visit the dermatologist regularly as early detection is important.
We know so much more today about the dangers of UV exposure and the long term effects of sunburns. Pass the wisdom gained onto others, including the importance of regular sunscreen use, wearing protective clothing, seeking quality shade and wearing a hat and sunglasses. Together, we can enjoy fun in the sun while learning from our past.
For much of the country, summer is officially winding down. That does not mean that the sun is losing its effect. Check the UV index daily like you do the weather. If it’s 3 or higher, put on SPF 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours!
