"This is gonna just hurt like hell . . .

[criticalbass]

. . . and make a payment on my Lexus."

This is the joke my first dermatologist told me every six months for about twenty years as he prepared to freeze my latest crop of skin cancers. Now I have a different doc, and this one is a former Soviet army doctor who says "This may sting a little bit." Then he offers me a lollipop because he says it distracts one from the pain.

I got these from hunting, fishing, and skeet shooting without any UV protection. Happily none of them has turned into melanoma, but my message to you is, however old you are, if you aren't using sunscreen, you should. My current skin doc recently told me that he is seeing a huge increase in skin cancers of all types. He didn't offer a reason for this, and I don't have a theory, but regardless, it's not desirable.

I have, by faithful use of sunblock, hats, long sleeves, long pants, and staying in the shade a little more, managed to get the crop from twenty some freeze burn/scab/scar events every six months down to between five and ten, so it's never too late.

Or one can choose to be macho and pay the price . . .

 

[dlbleak]

man that sucks and i feel for you. my brother had some had some stuff removed at 19. we have a history of skin cancer in the family and i have an appointment with the skin doc every six months. we love the outdoors as a family, hunting,fishing, boating etc. the wifey is a a nurse and is nazi-like on the sunscreeen, still had a pre-cancer removed from my arm last year. take care of yourself,CB. and everyone else!

 

[Porter]

Very solid advice. I've changed my habits over the past few years to better protect my skin when I'm exposed to the sun. I hope others will take your advice as well.

 

[dennishoddy]

Again, very solid advise.

 

[Boehlertaught]

Sorry dude but I feel your pain. I'm 55 and have worked outside or been outside most of my life. Years ago we did not have sunscreen and when it first came out we did not have the habit of using it. Sad! I too have made a number of Lexus payments.

 

[Deer Slayer]

I recently had a basal cell removed the size of a small chicken breast from my back. It seems it was the result of a blistering that I got in 1961 while at the pool.

 

[MBRONC]

I have a 6 month running appointment with my skin doc also, got to use sun block trick for those with thinning hair use spray sun block for the dome

 

[srcooper]

Wish I'd been more cautious with the sun growing up, but take extra precautions when outside during peak sun hours. My son hates it but gets soaked in sun block just about any time he goes outside. Have had relatives in the past with skin problems (arms from repetitive sun burn)