Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Do you remember the recording Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)?
I should have REALLY listened in 1997 while I was still 17.

This post is a teeny bit graphic.
I discovered a spot on the back of my shoulder, which turned out to be cancer. How did I even find it? Well...

One day, I'm examining my awesome runner's tan—and I see it, a little pink spot. I think to myself "Huh, I don't remember a zit being there." Because that's what it looks like, an old zit scab.

But I also remember cancer can look like a sore that never heals, so we take a photo and after four weeks of no changes, I visit a dermatologist. It's so small she doesn't even see it at first. "No no, not the moles, it's that little pink spot."
"Oh, oh yeah. That looks like we need to take a closer look."
She scrapes it off and sends for a biopsy. The labs come back: Basal Cell Carcinoma. And my gut squeezes.

No worries my friends...well maybe a little. We ARE talking about cancer here. But, Basal Cell Carcinoma has a high cure rate: 95% with creams or 99% with surgery. My dermy says the cancer doesn't seem to be deep so she recommends a 6 week cream instead of cutting—of course, her job is to recommend treatments that keep your skin looking pretty—it's an Imiquimod cream, it works with your body's immune system to aid healing. So, okay.

Six weeks of using the cream, I go back in. And nobody can tell if it worked. SERIOUSLY? This is your JOB.
"Does it look any different, is it more smooth?" They ask.
More smooth??? "Ummm, I don't know." I answer. "It already looks different because of the biopsy so I can't tell."
(Below: The dermy had cut the entire section out for the biopsy and now there's a bigger, fresh pink pock-mark.)

The dermatologist looks at it under her hand held magnifier, and still can't tell if the cancer is gone. So I suggest, "Could the biopsy have removed all of it?"
To which she answers, "I'm wondering the same thing."
And I'm sitting there silently thinking "get out your tools, take a sample and look at it under a real microscope!"

Since no one can tell, she recommends either cutting it out or trying another, stronger cream just to be safe, and again she pushes for cream. I opt for it because the dermy warns me the back is an area that doesn't scar well and a keloid could develop. Great.

Well, THIS new cream packaging is slapped all over with bright orange warning stickers! I do a little research and find out it's a "chemo cream" and out loud to no one in the house I yell, "HELL NO!" and I make an appointment to have the spot CUT OUT OF ME. I don't usually walk around with my shoulders and back showing so I'll deal with whatever kind of scar I get. I mean, I've been walking around with a hole in my forehead since I was five. This should be no biggie.

Back in the office and ready for Skin Cancer Removal, the assistant comes in and tells me to get completely undressed except my undies. Wha???

The doctor wants to do a full skin examination. I think to myself: "But, I'm wearing the WRONG kind of underwear!" Lesson learned girlfriends: always wear cute, NORMAL underwear to a doctor's appointment because you never know. I do my best and apologize for not dressing appropriately for the occasion.

The dermy knows my grandpa passed away due to Melanoma, so I silently forgive her for the unexpected intrusion and I'm glad she's being proactive. She finds a mole on my lower abdomen that we can either "watch" or "remove." I'm SO DONE. I don't need a maybe like this in my life to panic about. "Let's just remove it." It's gone now—and it's actually not healing as nicely as my shoulder. But that's not the point of this post so, moving on.

The full body exam over, my shoulder is next.

Expecting Mohs Surgery I'm wondering "How many stitches will I get?"
Turns out the dermatologist just burns it and then scrapes, and then burns, and scrapes. At least that's what I'm imagining is happening. I'm numb, and can't actually SEE what she's doing behind my back, but I can smell it. She goes into the healthy skin all around the scar from the biopsy, so now it's an even larger sore than ever. Cancer sends out tendrils, we must make sure to get all of them. (Below is about two days after the burn. Not as bad as you were imagining huh?)

Seven weeks later and the scar is looking ok. (Below) But a bump is forming. Keloid? And who knows if the cancer is gone. That's waiting for a follow-up appointment. And if the dermy can't tell, there will be a smackdown.

Sunscreen
WEAR SUNSCREEN PEOPLE. I try to, but am not always vigilant. Not when I go running. (How does one smear sunscreen all over one's back? I've tried using a spatula and the back of a large serving spoon...it's messy. Enjoy the mental image. You're welcome.)

And I HATE the spray. It doesn't cover well and then you're breathing the fumes. Might not get skin cancer but what about LUNG cancer??? That spray stuff is REALLY BAD. Gah.

So currently, I'm too FREAKED out to run outside anymore or to show bare skin outdoors... because what's to stop a development somewhere else that's gotten just as much sun exposure?! I should go live underground and become a night person. Walmart is open 24/7, I'll survive.

Ahem. Sunscreen.

Below: The dermatologist gave me a list of ingredients to look for in a sunscreen and it lead me to some interesting information. Read on if you want...but you might stop listening and your eyes might go dead the minute I say "Avobenzone."

Avobenzone is a chemical, and it causes a chemical reaction within your skin when sun rays hit it. It works but there are several related issues that accompany it.

And THEN I found out Oxybenzone is usually in sunscreen containing Avobenzone.
Oxybenzone is likely what's responsible for bleaching our reefs! GREAT. Something else to loose sleep over. In fact, to protect their reefs, Hawaii has passed a law banning sunscreen with such ingredients, it will go into effect in a couple of years.

Two years ago when we went snorkeling, my friend was having problems with her sunscreen getting in her eyes and burning, and was trying to wash it out in the ocean water, and the question came to mind: "I wonder how the sunscreen is effecting the fish?" Which lead to, "I wonder how it's effecting the ocean?" And now that my own skin has a stake in the game, I've finally taken the time to find out. How sad is that?

Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. 
These are natural minerals which reflect the harmful effects of the sun. So those rays never even enter your body in the first place—I don't know about you but that sounds like a better deal. And in my research it looks like Zinc does the better job. Both ingredients make you look pasty when applied.

Watch out though, some companies have found a way to make the particles smaller, making you less white but making it easier for the reef to absorb. So if you want to be REALLY diligent and earth-loving...look for labels that say non nano or reef friendly.

I'm not vain about looking a little more white than usual on the beach, I'd rather have GREAT looking skin when I'm 70,  and NO MORE skin cancer, AND take care of the earth, so being under a time constraint, I found these TWO products at Walgreens:

Above: No oxybenzone, and an added bonus, NO parabens! Yay! (If you don't know anything about parabens, it's time to do some research. Especially you ladies.) It's 7.3% Zinc Oxide. You won't look white...unless you already are.

And then for places that tend to burn first, like forehead, nose, tops of shoulders etc. I found this gem below. It's ONE active ingredient is Zinc Oxide at 20.6%! It's paraben free too! This one will make you look a little pasty.

We had two full days at the beach, and I didn't burn AT ALL.

I'm sure there are better and safer products out there than these two. I hate that it's so difficult to find brands that are safe, natural, non-toxic AND wholistic. And I also realize I've taken you down a rabbit hole. (I actually had to call Adam from the store to pull ME out of it.) And if you've made it this far without nodding off...you are a true friend. Ha!

ALWAYS protect your skin. Always wear sunscreen—the lyrics said so.