As a medical oncologist with a special interest and expertise in melanoma, this is the drama that is played out everyday in our consultation rooms. And the typical patient is much like patient Joe.
Typically an individual in their 40s or 50s, typically an individual who did not know that a suntan is lethal, an individual who did not know that a changing mole could signify a life altering and possibly lethal event. So yes, her story is typical.
I recently spoke at a warm weather venue and I was astonished to see young people sitting around a pool having put baby lotion on and surrounded by reflectors to get a tan. And I am thinking Wow! This is equivalent to sitting on a railroad track, because sooner or later something bad will happen. Not only from a cancer stand point but from a vanity stand point. The sun is no friend for the aging process.
Prevention: Prevention is the key to the kingdom. Therefore all of us should use sunscreen on a religious basis. We should sunscreen as if we might use some other personal health attribute such as deodorant, such as shaving. Depending upon the part of the world that we live in, we should put on number 15 at a minimum possibly number 30 sunscreen whenever we are exposed to the sun.
If we are water oriented people, we need to put on the sunscreen several times during the day. If we are golfers, for example, or baseball players, sunscreen is absolutely crucial. Baseball hats are not effective in protecting the upper head and neck from the rays of the sun. Therefore, we should take a page from the playbook of some professional golfers using a broad brimmed hat, three-quarter length sleeves. We need to understand that any tanning represents damage to the skin.
Taking responsibility: I think the message for our listeners and viewers need to be the buck stops with us. No one has a greater stake in our health and wellness than us.
As a medical oncologist with a special interest and expertise in melanoma, this is the drama that is played out everyday in our consultation rooms. And the typical patient is much like patient Joe.
Typically an individual in their 40s or 50s, typically an individual who did not know that a suntan is lethal, an individual who did not know that a changing mole could signify a life altering and possibly lethal event. So yes, her story is typical.
I recently spoke at a warm weather venue and I was astonished to see young people sitting around a pool having put baby lotion on and surrounded by reflectors to get a tan. And I am thinking Wow! This is equivalent to sitting on a railroad track, because sooner or later something bad will happen. Not only from a cancer stand point but from a vanity stand point. The sun is no friend for the aging process.
Prevention: Prevention is the key to the kingdom. Therefore all of us should use sunscreen on a religious basis. We should sunscreen as if we might use some other personal health attribute such as deodorant, such as shaving. Depending upon the part of the world that we live in, we should put on number 15 at a minimum possibly number 30 sunscreen whenever we are exposed to the sun.
If we are water oriented people, we need to put on the sunscreen several times during the day. If we are golfers, for example, or baseball players, sunscreen is absolutely crucial. Baseball hats are not effective in protecting the upper head and neck from the rays of the sun. Therefore, we should take a page from the playbook of some professional golfers using a broad brimmed hat, three-quarter length sleeves. We need to understand that any tanning represents damage to the skin.
Taking responsibility: I think the message for our listeners and viewers need to be the buck stops with us. No one has a greater stake in our health and wellness than us.
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