My Dermatologist is bumming me out.

[Darth-Baiter]

i didnt always cover up from the sun.  i do now!  i do know sun damage is cumulative.  in my youth, i would have played in the desert naked and sunburned if it was socially acceptable.   i didnt worry about burning.  

 

had a regular checkup the other day.  you NEVER want to hear your doctors say, "oh..what is this?"  (and immediately email someone)  hahahha..

well, she took pics and sent them on.  a Dermatologist called me almost right away, just as i got home.  he said to come in..make an appointment.  

 

Me:  "well, i am back in town on the 12th"

Him: "tomorrow work for you?"

 

they nicked some tissue samples and now i have to wait.  12 days of wait.  luckily, i have a vacation with fishing to distract me.  haha..  packing light except, the sunscreen.  lots of sunscreen.  and full body coverage clothing.  

 

if you're still young, cover cover and coat and coat.  our skin is no joke, but not indestructable.  

[Jig Man]

I hear you.  I never considered any kind of covering.  My arms and legs look like old saddle leather.  I have purchased long sleeved fishing shirts and pants.  I wear them no matter how hot it gets.  I hope I have done it in time.

[TnRiver46]

Hopefully you’re fine, they always slice and dice. I have several friends that have RELIGIOUSLY covered up and used tons of sun screen their entire lives and they get cancers cut  out all the time. All of them under 40 years old 

 

one thing they all have in common is pale skin/Northern European blood 

[Captain Phil]

My grandfather was an Italian immigrant in the late 1800s.  I am relatively light skinned until I get in the sun.  I tan easily and people would ask me if I ever worked or just played golf? I told them I fish.  My wife is a very light skinned Irish girl.  She is always at the dermatologists.  I kid her by saying she's so light you can see right through her skin.  I never thought someone like me would have a problem with skin cancer.  I was wrong.   A routine checkup turned into a quick trip to the surgeon.   Wear a hat!!

 

 

[jbmaine]

Timely topic. We just got back from the Dermatologist. We were OK this year, but both of us have chunks removed in the past. We both now wear sun protection shirts, sun screen, and " French foreign legion" hats that cover our necks and the side of our faces.   

[you]

6 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

A quick routine checkup turned into a quick trip to the surgeon.   Wear a hat!!

 

Ouch! Hope the recovery went well.

 

Light skin is definitely a risk factor. I'm printer-paper white. Already had a few moles removed in my teens and twenties. A few of my relatives had skin cancer, too, so I cover up.

 

Catch me fishing anywhere in FL between 10am-6pm and you will only see my fingertips.

[Captain Phil]

2 minutes ago, you said:

Ouch! Hope the recovery went well.

 

That was a few years ago and all went well.  After that experience, I have regular checkups. 

[Darth-Baiter]

thanks @Captain Phil.  myDermatologlist didnt want to get ahead of himself. 

 

he said if it is bad, there is surgery..or other options to discuss.  i went to my happy place at that moment.  it was fairly sobering.  

 

i appreciate the candor

[TnRiver46]

Most people live normal lives after getting the one kind cut out (can’t spell it, it’s got squish and oma in there )

 

melanoma is the one that will kill you, luckily it’s not nearly as common. My moms best friend died from it 

[Fishingmickey]

I've had a couple of chunks of Basil Cell Carcinoma removed. The big one was on my face It was 18mm x 13mmx 4mm deep. It was just to the left of my nose. They did Mose surgery and I was awake through the four hour procedure.

I cover up and sun block/screen on nose and cheeks that show.

FM

[ElGuapo928]

Always protect yourself and anything that looks or feels sketchy, get it checked out.

 

I just had my right kidney cut out, pathologist said that if we had waited another week or two we would be having an entirely different conversation. 

[gim]

I had an appointment with a dermatologist a couple years ago on this very subject to the demand of my wife.  Turns out she did observe some minor skin damage on my forehead from UV rays.  I have a relatively dark complexion though and she said that is probably helping.

 

She also said that if I am out in the sun, especially during peak hours of 10am - 3pm during the "summer" months, that I need to either cover up or use sunscreen every 2 hours to prevent more damage.  I am not one to cover myself in winter clothing from head to toe when its 80 degrees in July, so I use sunscreen (and shades, of course).  Very rarely am I out there during the peak UV ray period of the day either.

 

Bottom line here is that we all need natural vitamin D from the sun, but in moderation.  Protect yourself from UV rays in some manner.

[Captain Phil]

4 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

I just had my right kidney cut out, pathologist said that if we had waited another week or two we would be having an entirely different conversation. 

 

I hate to post this as it seems all we old people ever talk about is our operations.  A few weeks ago, I was watching a football game when I had sudden back pain.  It got worse so my wife took me to the emergency room at a local hospital.  As it turned out I had a kidney stone.  They gave me some morphine and a CT scan.   When the scan was done, the doctor said I also had a mass in my appendix that didn't look good.  I passed the stone without issue then had to wait three weeks until they could remove my appendix.  They removed it last Thursday and sent it off to the lab.  The results said I had a rare level one cancer in my appendix.  I had no symptoms before they found it with the CT scan. If it had burst, it could have spread into my abdomen.  The margins were clear and I escaped that fate.  If you ever do anything right in your life, buy the best health insurance you can find. You're going to need it. 

[Kirtley Howe]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I had an appointment with a dermatologist a couple years ago on this very subject to the demand of my wife.  Turns out she did observe some minor skin damage on my forehead from UV rays.  I have a relatively dark complexion though and she said that is probably helping.

 

She also said that if I am out in the sun, especially during peak hours of 10am - 3pm during the "summer" months, that I need to either cover up or use sunscreen every 2 hours to prevent more damage.  I am not one to cover myself in winter clothing from head to toe when its 80 degrees in July, so I use sunscreen (and shades, of course).  Very rarely am I out there during the peak UV ray period of the day either.

 

Bottom line here is that we all need natural vitamin D from the sun, but in moderation.  Protect yourself from UV rays in some manner.

I wear UV screening shirts (long sleeve with hood), hat, sunglasses, sunscreen on hands, wrists, face, ears and neck. I always wear long pants.  I reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours. My hands get a fresh coat of sunscreen any time they get wet. Of course, all that is only during daytime hours. Overkill? Maybe, but skin cancer is no joke. Better safe than sorry. I did enough damage to my skin when I was young. No need to add more......And don't forget that just because it is cloudy, does not mean you can skip the protection.

[Woody B]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

As it turned out I had a kidney stone. 

First, I'm glad they got the appendix problem taken care of.  

 

Second  ANYONE with a kidney stone.  Getting in a tub of HOT water will temporarily relieve the pain.   When the water starts to cool the pain will come back.   Just drain it and add more hot water.   Kidney stone pain can be terrible.   

[steve carpenter]

76 yoa and have spent a lot of time outside. Have had several  spots removed on my head and arms. Always cover up all year and visit the dermatologist twice a year. Be safe,

[dave]

Mohs procedure twice in the last five years, more to come I'm sure.  Mom died from melanoma, no chances here...

[Hammer 4]

Having surfed, and played out door sports my whole life, including working in the sun. I seem to have an attraction to Shumais cell. Had a small skin graft on my right hand years ago, that put me out of work for 6 weeks. Mostly get it on my arms, so I keepem covered best as I can.

 

Either cover up, or use the Best sun block you can buy.