Yesterday my dermatologist had to freeze three "sunspots" that appeared around my mouth. The largest was on my lower lip about the size of a pea and the two smaller ones were just above the right side of my upper lip and about the size of 1/2 a pea. These sunspots appear out of no where. They are small lesions that do not heal. The last time I had one was in 2004, and it was near my mouth just under my nose.
The reason I get them is, they are the after effects of many, many sunburns as a kid and foolish teenager. My mom always tried to keep me covered and out of the sun. I am not sure if sun screen was available in the 60's, even if it was we could not have spent money on it, the sun screen would have been a luxury item. Luxury items were not affordable then. But she did her best.
As a kid I did not always comply with sensibilities, and would remove the long sleeve protective shirt to run around with friends unencumbered. The result was always the same. Sunburn with accompanying blisters. Which caused Vaseline and tissue to be placed on the blistered shoulders and arms, to what end I do not know. The blisters on my face, usually above my mouth, and on my cheeks were left alone.
One would think with all this painful punishment as a kid, that I would have avoided the sun as a teenager. But noooo...... I had to believe my girlfriends when they told me sitting on the roof allows more tanning rays to hit the body, or that baby oil and iodine would tan me, or that after alot of burns my skin would tan. Oh yeah I believed them, severe burn after severe burn.
I wanted to tan like everyone else. But I was the only redhead with skin so white the sun reflected off me and blinded people if they looked at me that lived in my neighborhood. I wanted to be like all the other kids, tan. This need to be tan got to be so bad that I wore pantyhose with my shorts. Not such a good idea when you are a tomboy and being King of the mountain is just as important as being tan, or when your mom discovers that you are wearing her only pair of pantyhose,(a luxury item), that just got destroyed by one of the Dixon boys grabbing for your leg as he stumbled and you were almost to the top of the dirt mountain about to declare "king of the mountain".
So here I am today with frozen sunspot blisters on my face, unable to wear lipstick for a few days, (oh so very attractive), and banging the palm of my hand on my forehead, saying stupid, stupid stupid. I have learned. Avoidance of the sun is my life goal now. It has to be, the dermatologist showed me 3 kinds of sunspots on my arms that I have to watch and I am now required to do monthly body checks and have annul body checks by the doctor. She recommended a 50 spf lip balm by Hawaiian Tropic that I must wear whenever I am outside, fall, winter, spring and summer. ( I thought 15 was good and did not know about a 50), and I absolutely must wear a 45 spf sunscreen all over exposed body parts whenever I am outside. She also recommended a wide brim hat and 100% uv something sunglasses. ( The sunglasses I have had for a few years because the eye doctor found a sunspot on my eyeball, daily eye drops are required for that).
I have to call my mother and tell her she was right and apologize for being a stubborn kid. Then I have to confess it wasn't my sister who ruined the pantyhose it was me.
The reason I get them is, they are the after effects of many, many sunburns as a kid and foolish teenager. My mom always tried to keep me covered and out of the sun. I am not sure if sun screen was available in the 60's, even if it was we could not have spent money on it, the sun screen would have been a luxury item. Luxury items were not affordable then. But she did her best.
As a kid I did not always comply with sensibilities, and would remove the long sleeve protective shirt to run around with friends unencumbered. The result was always the same. Sunburn with accompanying blisters. Which caused Vaseline and tissue to be placed on the blistered shoulders and arms, to what end I do not know. The blisters on my face, usually above my mouth, and on my cheeks were left alone.
One would think with all this painful punishment as a kid, that I would have avoided the sun as a teenager. But noooo...... I had to believe my girlfriends when they told me sitting on the roof allows more tanning rays to hit the body, or that baby oil and iodine would tan me, or that after alot of burns my skin would tan. Oh yeah I believed them, severe burn after severe burn.
I wanted to tan like everyone else. But I was the only redhead with skin so white the sun reflected off me and blinded people if they looked at me that lived in my neighborhood. I wanted to be like all the other kids, tan. This need to be tan got to be so bad that I wore pantyhose with my shorts. Not such a good idea when you are a tomboy and being King of the mountain is just as important as being tan, or when your mom discovers that you are wearing her only pair of pantyhose,(a luxury item), that just got destroyed by one of the Dixon boys grabbing for your leg as he stumbled and you were almost to the top of the dirt mountain about to declare "king of the mountain".
So here I am today with frozen sunspot blisters on my face, unable to wear lipstick for a few days, (oh so very attractive), and banging the palm of my hand on my forehead, saying stupid, stupid stupid. I have learned. Avoidance of the sun is my life goal now. It has to be, the dermatologist showed me 3 kinds of sunspots on my arms that I have to watch and I am now required to do monthly body checks and have annul body checks by the doctor. She recommended a 50 spf lip balm by Hawaiian Tropic that I must wear whenever I am outside, fall, winter, spring and summer. ( I thought 15 was good and did not know about a 50), and I absolutely must wear a 45 spf sunscreen all over exposed body parts whenever I am outside. She also recommended a wide brim hat and 100% uv something sunglasses. ( The sunglasses I have had for a few years because the eye doctor found a sunspot on my eyeball, daily eye drops are required for that).
I have to call my mother and tell her she was right and apologize for being a stubborn kid. Then I have to confess it wasn't my sister who ruined the pantyhose it was me.
6 comments:
Oh Cheer, I feel for you! I come from English blood, gold miners that migrated to Colorado when they struck gold here. I am pasty white, used to be beyond blond, but am now pretty bald.
I get wrinkles, spots, strange formations like crop circles, the whole gambit. I never listened either, and I was raised up at 8000 feet where the atmosphere doesn't protect you very much either.
Skylers dad: I am of English blood also. A lttle Dutch and some German too. Gold miners? now that is a bit of history worth blogging about. I love genealogy. Have you written about your family history??? Would like to read about it.
No I haven't, I should do that sometime. I have to go find the shoe box of old photos!
Cheer, you and I have more in common
I used to sun myself with baby oil, sometimes with and sometimes without the idodine. What was that about? Was that like 'oven frying' yourself? Nowadays there is Pam, that would have worked, huh?
I had myself checked a few years ago and everything on me is just senile skin cells that forgot how to be young, beautiful, and gloriously normal!
Two of my kids are those german/danish blondies. I have every type of SPF made around here at all times.
We really like the clear 'sport' sprays that require no rubbing. Easy to apply and not messy. But sooo expensive!
Also, Neutregena makes a nice oil free stick that is quick and easy to apply to the face... also a very nice 'dry' lotion.
As for me, well, in spite of the irish and dutch in my genealogy, the stuff that mixes in that no one knows what it is...(like how my sister is a dead ringer for a native american) seems to have protected me well. In spite of light blonde hair as a kid, I tan. That used to tick off my sister. She has black hair and freckles!! She burns.
oops, long comment again. I have enjoyed my coffee today!!
anon: I'll try the sports spray. thanks for the tip. And isn't it wonderful how coffee can kick mind and body into high gear. Coffee is one of my few vices. I live for my daily starbucks. ( the local coffee shop irritated me a few years ago so I am boycotting him until I get an apology. I don't think it is going to happen though. It's been a couple of years and I think he forgot. maybe I should let the grudge go, no use hanging onto negative karma.)
SPF is one of the ten essentials, especially here in the mountains. You'd be surprised how many adults forget that and go skiing without it. It's that time of year when I see many sunburt faces with the goggle or sunglass lines. We call them tourist raccoons!
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