FUN IN THE SUN, ANYONE?

By Sharon Schultz

Summertime was always a favorite time of year for my family. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York with my parents, my sister, and my brother. Dad was a night shift worker and slept most of the day when our house was empty and quiet. He was usually up when we got home from school, so it wasn’t a problem, not until school recessed for the summer. The very last thing that three elementary school age children, just out of school for the summer, would do is stay quiet! Mom was left to her own imaginative and creative talents to find clever ways to keep us occupied during the week while Dad recharged. One of our very favorite, frequent summertime activities was a day on the beach in Coney Island. Just a short subway ride away, we would pack everything we needed to spend the entire day in the glorious sunshine, building sand castles, chasing seagulls, and romping in the waves, never realizing we were practically signing our own death warrants.

My brother, Gene Cunningham, is a semiretired attorney, still blonde and more freckled, who continues living his best life in the sun, but always with precautions.

“I remember my mom taking myself and my two older sisters to the beach in Coney Island,” my brother told me.

“My mom loved the sun — she always talked about a “good burn” which, in her case, did gradually turn to tan. In my case though, exposure to the sun was pure sunburn and pain, with the pain slowly going away and the burn being replaced with more freckles.”

I remember a summer when Gene was about 10 years old, he was sunburned so badly on the beach that he had blisters on his shoulders. After that, Mom insisted that he always wear a T-shirt on the beach. And, consequently, we claimed a new piece of beach to lay our blanket on the sand, in the shade, under the Boardwalk (like the song).

Fast-forward to 2014 and my brother’s visit to a dermatologist for an unrelated skin condition that wasn’t the only diagnosis he’d receive that day.

“The doctor detected three areas — neck, chest and the back of my right arm — showing discolored spots,” Gene explained.

“She took a biopsy of each and ended up removing additional tissue from each — each excision requiring multiple stitches.”

Gene sees his dermatologist quarterly and has had an additional six more excisions on his upper torso, and unfortunately, he is not alone!

Dr. Kate Viola is a board-certified dermatologist who heads the Maryland office of Dermatology Partners in Sparks, MD.

“Sun exposure is cumulative, so it is most important to start protecting your skin as soon as possible,” Dr. Viola advises. 

“Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma but when detected early, the five-year survival rate for melanoma is 99%. Start protecting your skin now, regardless of age.”

The facts are sobering, as Dr. Viola continues.

“Skin cancer is the most common cancer type in the United States and worldwide. At least 1 in 5 Americans will develop a skin cancer by the age of 70. More than two people die from skin cancer in the U.S. every hour. 

Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays is key, according to Dr. Viola. Besides using an appropriate SPF sunscreen, she also recommends wearing sun protective clothing (UPF clothing), a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses for protection from exposure to UV rays.

“Always protect your skin and eyes from the sun,” she stresses.

According to Dr. Viola, the American Cancer Society and the American Academy of Dermatology strongly recommend a full body skin exam performed by a board-certified dermatologist yearly.

My brother’s last skin cancer incision was three years ago and while he always uses sunscreen (stemming from memories of old Coppertone Suntan Oil billboards when he was a kid) whenever he’s out in the sun, he decided to bump up his sunburn protection plan.

“After that I took precautions further,” he confessed.

“I always wear a long sleeve shirt, mostly wear long pants, and wear wider-brimmed hats. A few years ago, I spent time in the Middle East and did not feel out of place. What I wore was what everyone wore — long sleeves and long pants! They knew the danger from the sun and, quite frankly, wearing long sleeves and loose-fitting clothes of light, breathable fabrics, keeping the sun’s rays off your skin was actually cooler!”

We know that it is impossible to stay completely out of the sunshine and still live a normal life. But adjustments can be made by those willing to do so. How far are you willing to go to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun?

“No, I don’t stay out of the sun, but I do protect myself from the sun’s rays, so I know I can continue to live my life without avoiding the outdoors so long as I am careful to avoid the sun’s harmful effects — small price to pay,” said Gene.

“I also love wearing hats today, and I do, still, have lots of hair.”

Sharon Schultz is a retired freelance photojournalist and proud Bay Boomer.