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Tabitha's avatar

This is so true. I do use sunscreen (pretty religiously but because I burn in 5 minutes when I'm out in the sun). The first step is definitely to seek shade and protect your skin through clothing.

Ever noticed that all those beauty and skincare influencers preach sunscreen under makeup but never offer advice for reapplying? Like sure nice smooth foundation but if you're out in the sun all day and cannot seek shade as often you should reapply your suncreen. But that'd mess up the poreless finish, I guess.

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Daphne Berryhill's avatar

Loved your last line about NOT blaming people for a future cancer diagnosis. And I like how you added perspective here. Being obsessive about sunscreen for the sole purpose of appearance reminds me of the grandmas who put vinyl plastic over their couches and chairs. Either way, the couch will reach the end of its life, so might as well enjoy it a bit.

I had a basal cell skin cancer removed a year ago, and wrote about my experience for Jumble and Flow in “Healthy Tan Then, Skin Cancer Now” — https://jumbleandflow.com/2022/06/21/healthy-tan-then-skin-cancer-now%EF%BF%BC/

I interviewed my dermatologist for the piece. Anyone can get skin cancer. But risks can vary so it’s good to talk with your dermatology provider about what sun-protective steps make sense for you. Some medications or health conditions can also make skin more sun sensitive. And my dermatologist noted that sometimes skin cancer isn’t related to sun exposure. So it’s important to pay attention to skin changes anywhere on your body and have them checked out.

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