Sun Damage

[trackrat]

My doctor wants me to use sun block I don't use it because on a tractor it attracts dust, I look like giant mud ball after I use it

 

[Ray,IN]

I've had a lot of skin damage on my face from outdoor time. Dermatologist would use the liquid nitrogen on most visits to remove some bad cells. New dermatologist wanted me to us a skin cream designed to kill off damaged cells and I tried it last year. The results are great but the treatment reacts with damaged cells and turns your face red just like a bad sunburn. When done the skins peels like a bad sunburn causes. The results are great but it is about a two week ordeal when you first apply the cream and about a week and half of a quite painful "sunburn".

And, I was told to stay out of sunlight until after the peeling and skin had healed. For me that was about a month of indoors(ugh) with curtains pulled.
Thing is, I'm still on a 6 month Dermatologist visit, and at each one she burns off from 2-6 spots. I'd not do that again.
Several years ago Doc sent me to a plastic surgeon. He cut out a malignant hunk of my right forearm about the size of a grapefruit section, then cut out the lymph nodes in my armpits(talk about sore).
Oh_BTW, that cream, Doc prescribed a tube of it for me to use on places she burned off. If any cancer cells remain, the cream eliminates them. Last year I had Mose surgery on my right temple, that cancer is gone.

Trackrat, use it!! Reference above comments.

 

[Gary Reif]

Glad you are going to the dermatologist regularly. Twice a year would be better. I have had basil, squamous, and melanoma cut out. Now the squamous has moved inside. Never thought anything about it because I have had so many cut off but it and the treatment is hard.

Thinking back there's a lot of stuff we did when we were young we're paying for in our old age. The sun isn't the only thing that causes skin cancer. My wife had stage 4 melanoma 40 years ago and I saw babies with it at Duke's melanoma cancer center. She was one of the first to receive immunotherapy. They gave her a 20% chance of living 2 years and 0% of living 5. 40 years later she's still here holding on to me while I go through stage 4 squamous. I would recommend everyone have regular dermatologist check up's.

Had a patch of melanoma cut out of my back 10 years ago, doc told me 75% chance of living more than 5 years. Glad he was wrong. Down to getting checked once a year now. She usually finds something to freeze every visit usually something minor.

 

[MarkB_MI]

That's weird, Somehow the camera shows my left ear, but it is my right ear. How did that happen? I used the selfie mode.

Selfie mode is always a mirror image.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Back in the day folks didn't live so long and didn't go in for regular checkups. I think it's only in the past few decades that skin cancer has been recognized as a major health risk.

I had a basal cell cancer removed from my left temple a few years ago. My dermatologist said this is a very common location for skin cancers, as the left side of your face is often exposed to the sun while driving.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I think a lot of the cancer is maybe caused by sun blocker. I actually know very few people that have or have had skin cancer. I also don't have very many people I know that use sun tan oils. I for one always wear long sleeves. started that at 17 and have never wore a T shirt since. Used a wide brim hat of some sort till about 30 something then no hat at all. I am not sure if the sun in the USA is worse than Canada or not

there is a difference between sunscreens and sun blockers. I don't know what is in sunscreens that give me a rash.
My Dr recommended I use a sun blocker which is a mixture of Titian Oxide and Zinc Oxide.
FYI, Titian Oxide and Zinc Oxide is what is in a baby's sun blocker and also used on a baby's butt, butt cream.
I don't think a Dr would prescribe something that will give us cancer.

I agree with you, I wear white long sleeve shirt if I have to work in the hot sun, I think a thin white shirt is cooler too.
However our bodies need vitamin D from the sun.
Also, the older we get the more we need to take a vitamin D3 supplement.
I have to take a Rx D3 vitamin, 50,000 units weekly.

 

[cjunrau]

there is a difference between sunscreens and sun blockers. I don't know what is in sunscreens that give me a rash.
My Dr recommended I use a sun blocker which is a mixture of Titian Oxide and Zinc Oxide.
FYI, Titian Oxide and Zinc Oxide is what is in a baby's sun blocker and also used on a baby's butt, butt cream.
I don't think a Dr would prescribe something that will give us cancer.

I agree with you, I wear white long sleeve shirt if I have to work in the hot sun, I think a thin white shirt is cooler too.
However our bodies need vitamin D from the sun.
Also, the older we get the more we need to take a vitamin D3 supplement.
I have to take a Rx D3 vitamin, 50,000 units weekly.

I agree we need the sun for vitamin D. I think we may get enough even through are cloths. Thing is DR don't know everything and they can not say how much sun is enough. everybody is different and sun on different days is different. I have on occasion been able to feel the sun burning my skin as soon as I stepped outside. Just get a feeling the sun is VERY hot and piercing right through me. Those days I find the shade,lol . I know when are children were born a couple were yellowish. Jaundice I think they call it. They wanted us to give D drops or some such thing.. 2 days in the sun inside the house and no more yellow, no need for D drops. I also think some of the chemical we use reacts to other things to make them harmful. I am of the mindset when my time on earth is up it's up and don't stress about the small stuff. I try to live healthy but don't worry about the junk food i eat or the neighbor sprayed and it might kill me thing. To me it's like they say about roundup. you can drink a cup of it and it won't kill you. Ya but why try. Roundup by itself might not but if I had to much celery that day the reaction in my gut might ,lol

 

[Texasmark]

My wife is constantly after me to put on sun protection. I miss a lot of days, and head out the door into the California sun. I pay the price for it, every year I get my skin checked for sun damage. If any thing is found it is froze with nitrogen, and it's gone, for another year. Some times it is a cancer starting, and has to be cut out. This year is the same thing. I have three spots, that need to be removed (ouch) One is done each week. I probably will head out the door without my sun block again.. I do wear a hat. I just forget. Here is what I cant under stand this never happened growing up on the farm years ago, we were always in the sun with no hat, or sun block. Maybe they are right? Stan

I'm 84 and within the last 5 years have had at least 6 surgeries and multiple Nitrogen squirts from my early days being out in the sun with no protection. If you die early you don't have to worry about this problem!

 

[Janicholson]

Put on long sleeve shirts and be safe. Your wife is correct!! Damage that happened in your youth is a major part of the sensitivity you have now. the time lapse of faulty DNA stays in the cells. Jim

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I agree we need the sun for vitamin D. I think we may get enough even through are cloths. Thing is DR don't know everything and they can not say how much sun is enough. everybody is different and sun on different days is different. I have on occasion been able to feel the sun burning my skin as soon as I stepped outside. Just get a feeling the sun is VERY hot and piercing right through me. Those days I find the shade,lol . I know when are children were born a couple were yellowish. Jaundice I think they call it. They wanted us to give D drops or some such thing.. 2 days in the sun inside the house and no more yellow, no need for D drops. I also think some of the chemical we use reacts to other things to make them harmful. I am of the mindset when my time on earth is up it's up and don't stress about the small stuff. I try to live healthy but don't worry about the junk food i eat or the neighbor sprayed and it might kill me thing. To me it's like they say about roundup. you can drink a cup of it and it won't kill you. Ya but why try. Roundup by itself might not but if I had to much celery that dabeen y the reaction in my gut might ,lol

Wait until you are older and no matter what you eat your body won't extract the vitamins you need for the food even if you eat health foods. . Ask your Dr. My Dr checks for D and B every time I get my annual physical. I've been on D and B for 5 years and we are all different. I'm not on any heart or diabetes meds.
Ask your Dr if some people need some vitamins.

 

[dcarp]

I've had a lot of skin damage on my face from outdoor time. Dermatologist would use the liquid nitrogen on most visits to remove some bad cells. New dermatologist wanted me to us a skin cream designed to kill off damaged cells and I tried it last year. The results are great but the treatment reacts with damaged cells and turns your face red just like a bad sunburn. When done the skins peels like a bad sunburn causes. The results are great but it is about a two week ordeal when you first apply the cream and about a week and half of a quite painful "sunburn".

Just finished with the cream, 2 weeks ago, on 3 spots involving the end of my nose and both cheeks. Looked pretty rough. Still not done with the peeling.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

My wife is constantly after me to put on sun protection. I miss a lot of days, and head out the door into the California sun. I pay the price for it, every year I get my skin checked for sun damage. If any thing is found it is froze with nitrogen, and it's gone, for another year. Some times it is a cancer starting, and has to be cut out. This year is the same thing. I have three spots, that need to be removed (ouch) One is done each week. I probably will head out the door without my sun block again.. I do wear a hat. I just forget. Here is what I cant under stand this never happened growing up on the farm years ago, we were always in the sun with no hat, or sun block. Maybe they are right? Stan

It didn't happen back then because you were young and the damage builds up over time.

Old people didn't have these procedures done back then because these procedures didn't exist. Medical science didn't know about the correlation between skin damage and cancer. If they had cancer, it usually wasn't detected until it was too late if ever, and they simply got sick and died.

Truthfully MOST of the damage they are removing from you is probably benign. PROBABLY. It could also turn into cancer and kill you in a matter of a few weeks/months. You're rolling the dice by not having it taken care of.

 

[kencombs]

My AARP Medicare advantage covered everything. Zero copay,
This is open enrollment period. My Medicare advantage is FREE, It is part of Medicare part B

I also have and AARP Advantage plan. Just had some dental done, bridge, pays 50%, dermatologist fully covered also. Those are known as part C, part B is outpatient/preventative, etc, A is hospital. D is prescription coverage. My part part C includes a drug plan and has much broader coverage, dental, hearing, vision at the expense of some copays for certain procedures. So far mine has been positive, compared to a good supplement and associated premiums. Those copays have been far offset by the other coverages.

I had a supplement from age 65 to 73, then switched to a C plan for the last 9 years. So far, so good.

Next dermatologist scheduled for Dec I think. Twice yearly.

 

[Texasmark]

It didn't happen back then because you were young and the damage builds up over time.

Old people didn't have these procedures done back then because these procedures didn't exist. Medical science didn't know about the correlation between skin damage and cancer. If they had cancer, it usually wasn't detected until it was too late if ever, and they simply got sick and died.

Truthfully MOST of the damage they are removing from you is probably benign. PROBABLY. It could also turn into cancer and kill you in a matter of a few weeks/months. You're rolling the dice by not having it taken care of.

My doctor has a lab right in his office. He scrapes off a specimen and you sit in the examination chair and wait for his results. When he comes back with positives, he takes a magic marker and marks off an oval...like the shape of your eyelids with the specimen in the center. He then cuts it out, sews the underlayment together with self resolving sutures, and then pulls the surface skin and glues it together. Glue falls off in about 10 days and after a couple of weeks you don't know you had surgery....you have to. look closely to find the scar. He says that you can't get a circle to mend properly and that's why he does it the way he does. Two of my surgeries were done to the sides of my face and the others to my neck and arms. You are hard pressed to see where he operated.

 

[wjytexas]

Not the worst place too have melanoma but bad enough. First one was quarter size on teh back of my head. I'm not sure why the photo flopped over.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Not the worst place too have melanoma but bad enough. First one was quarter size on teh back of my head. I'm not sure why the photo flopped over.

You were holding the phone wrong. Certain phones put a "top" marker on the image that doesn't coincide with the way you were holding the phone when the photo was taken.

 

[ESVADuke]

Fair skinned, freckles and red hair, outdoors all my life. 5% fluorourocil cream. Chemo therapy for what is growing too fast when there's too much to burn of with liquid nitrogen. Looks like hell, you won't want to go out in public, painful, itch, etc, but clears up the skin nicely. I've done it 3 times ~5 years apart. Also had a couple of non-melanoma nodules cut out, look for someone who'd does Mohs surgery.