Death by suntan at age 26 - Created by Jul!a on Feb 24, 2011: EdenFantasys Forum

Jul!a

My mother is always going on and on about the benefits of sunscreen, and I've never doubted her, but this article really struck a nerve with me. I mean, I don't lay out in the sun day after day, and I don't ever use tanning booths, but I really slack with the sunblock, and I really like how I look with a nice tan.

A friend of mine posted this article on Facebook today, and this girl was younger than I am right now when her cancer was finally caught. Of course cancer doesn't usually present as often in younger folks, but it does still happen and I think a lot of people about my age have an immortality complex that makes them sort of forget that things like this can and do happen to people of all ages.

Anyway, I'm done rambling for now. Here's the article that I'm talking about: Death by suntan at age 26.

02/24/2011

Chilipepper

Tanning was never an issue for me - I simply don't tan, I turn bright red. Always hated it, so I covered up and sunscreened and stayed inside often. Difficult to do in Florida where the sun is much stronger. I did end up being a lovely milky pale when I lived in Montana.

This article is just so sad in the fact that the young woman fought as hard as could but it was too late.

Always cover and slather, folks. It'll save your life.

02/24/2011

liilii080

My grandmother died of malignant melanoma at 33, my father has had squamous cell carcinoma, and I've had moles removed too. Even with all this, there are times I go out for a run without taking time for sunscreen and I need to be better about it because it could happen to anyone. You only need 10-15 minutes of sunlight a day to get you needed vitamin D so even that is no excuse. It's so sad and so preventable by just taking the time. Good reminder with spring on its way, Sam.

02/24/2011

Yoda

Vanity can cause people to do stupid things. Eventually, so many people do them that people begin to think: "well, if so many other people are doing it, than it can't be so bad."

Honestly, we're pretty dumb as a species. Human society defines its norms and morals based on what it enjoys, and what it can tolerate, rather than what is best and healthy for the person and group alike. Stupid.

02/24/2011

Rockin'

That article is unsettling. It really made me pause. I've never been a tanner or someone who wants to be tan, though.

I don't spend a lot of time outside, but if I know I'm going to be outside for a while and I won't be wearing long sleeves and long pants, I'll put sunscreen at least on my face, neck, and shoulders. Those areas burn the easiest on me, so it's a good cost-benefit situation. Sunburn hurts, itches, and makes me exhausted, so I am really motivated to avoid getting burned.

Simple things I do to reduce sun exposure include wearing chapstick with SPF 15 and using a facial moisturizer with SPF 15. Neither of them feel greasy nor smell funky.

02/24/2011

Alys

Thank you so much for increasing awareness. My father nearly passed away in his early 20s to metastatic malignant melanoma, and was the only person to survive a radical experimental treatment. I, personally, had my first mole removed when I was in preschool, and am going to a dermatologist mid-March to get my skin checked out, something that I should have been doing for years now.

I think that embracing the skin color that we are born with is very important, and fully believe in the magic of moisturizer with SPF built-in.

02/24/2011

sarahbear

How sad.

I have very fair skin and I have never, ever tanned. I just turn bright red and then go back to white. I'm like Kris, and I hate the itch, burn, pain and sleepiness I get after I burn. I try to remember to use sunscreen when I go out. I wasn't careful about it when I was younger.

I think fair skin is beautiful, as are all natural skin tones. If you absolutely have to be tan, it's better to get a spray tan done.

02/24/2011