I received an email the other day from a woman who wrote to thank us for our advice about using sunscreen and the importance of sun protection. We get complimentary messages like this every so often (and they never fail to delight and motivate us), but this one stood out. The timing of the message coinciding with our latest special report on the best sunscreens plus the fact that it’s summer all coalesced and made this email stand out. Why? Because the dear woman who wrote in included a picture of herself after having had a skin cancer removed from her face. As you will see from the photo below (which she graciously granted us permission to as a powerful visual reminder about the importance of sun protection), removing her skin cancer resulted in a scar in a conspicuous place. Here is the note she sent to us, followed by some additional comments from me:

Paula,
I just read your latest report on sun protection and the guide for the best sunscreens. I wish I had had this information years ago when I was in my early 20′s and thought a tan made me look better. Instead, I believed that using sunscreen just kept me from getting a great tan, so I didn’t bother with it.

Needless to say, here I am at age 57 and am paying the price. Just thought I would send you this picture of what I went through a couple months ago having a tiny basal cell carcinoma removed from my face. Now I’m scarred for life. I NEVER go out without applying sunscreen, but the damage is already done. Hopefully I will not have any more of these skin cancers pop up. I take such good care of my skin now; you can tell from my picture (with no makeup on) that I don’t have any wrinkles thanks to what I learned from you. However, I’m so embarrassed now about the scar down the front of my face.

Please keep up the good work of keeping people informed on the need of using a good sunscreen.

Name withheld by request

This woman’s story of regret and what happened to her after years without sun protection should prompt all of us, whether we want to admit or not, to confront the fact that the sun can cause what no one wants to have: cancer. No matter how good the sun feels on a temperate blue-sky day or how gorgeous you think you look with a deep, dark tan, it’s a sobering fact that the sun can (and does) kill us. Of course, simply applying a well-formulated sunscreen rated SPF 15 or above allows us to enjoy the positive aspects of the sun while severely minimizing its potential to cause damage. Personally, I don’t avoid the sun as much as I enjoy it responsibly, like many other things in life.
I want to thank this woman for sharing her story and photo. I hope it resonates with anyone reading this blog who doesn’t use sun protection or, for whatever reason, continues to tan. Skin cancer isn’t the automatic inevitable outcome of sun damage for everyone, but playing roulette with the health and appearance of your skin is not a bet worth making.

Next month I’ll be heading south for a vacation in Sarasota, Florida. Although I am looking forward to escaping the cold, rainy Northwest weather, I am always apprehensive about spending time in sunny climates. The temptation to be outdoors for long periods of time (we’re staying in a condo right on the Gulf of Mexico) is there every day, not to mention the number of people on the beach getting darker skin with each passing hour as I remain white like the snow I left behind on the mountain tops in Seattle.

To most people, lazy days on the beach or lounging at poolside sounds divine. But for me, it means the need for me to be extra vigilant about sun protection and paying attention to how long I’ve been in the sun. Call it an unpleasant reality of the research I’ve done on the topic of sun exposure and skin damage, I know how really bad it is for me. It’s to the point now where spending hours in the sun is something to plan and be prepared for rather than being careless and carefree. I know the extra time outdoors or the haphazard application of sunscreen (meaning not applying enough sunscreen or not reapplying when I should) will mean serious skin damage. Now that I’m in my mid-30s and seeing early signs of aging, sun protection is equally tied to keeping up appearances and protecting the health of my skin.

So what am I going to do? Stay inside during the midday sun? Catch up on afternoon soap operas? Practice crossword puzzles? None of these sound too appealing, at least not when those I’m traveling with will be frolicking outdoors.

The solution is to grin (but not too widely—have to watch out for smile lines!) and slather on the sunscreen. I plan on packing a few options from Paula’s Choice, including my favorite sunscreen, Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray. For my face, I’m a big fan of mineral sunscreens so I’ll probably tote our Pure Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 15 or one I like from Dr. Denese New York that’s rated SPF 30 and has a soft tint.

Of course, I’ll wear sunglasses, keep a T-shirt on unless I’m heading into the Gulf, and use my towel for more than just drying off. I think these tactics will help keep my sun exposure panic to a minimum. And if I’m still feeling a bit edgy, I’ll just slather on more sunscreen and perhaps order a pina colada to sip on as I lay there under an umbrella, exposed yet protected!

One more thing: part of this panic comes from childhood trips to Florida with my grandparents. My grandmother’s mode was to send my siblings and I out to the beach to play, which we were all too happy to do, except she didn’t put sunscreen on any of us. About four hours later, we’d be back in the house, staring at pink, hot skin and a host of new freckles. It was then that my grandmother would apply sunscreen to us, and send us out again. Even though I didn’t know a thing about sun damage, I knew I didn’t like being sunburned, so would resist going back outside until my burn had turned into a tan! It only takes one bad sunburn to sour a vacation—now that I know better (a lot better, actually) I should be able to enjoy time in the Florida sun without fear!