Guest Blogger: This Everyday Love

Hey guys! Elliott and I are in sunny California, visiting my Grandma (her Great-Grandma....how cool is that?!) I can't wait to tell you all about our trip, but for now, I've chosen some wonderful ladies post for me while I'm gone! Today's guest post is from Brittany, and her blog is called This Everyday Love. Her and I have never met, however, I consider her a friend! I'm sure in this day and age, we all have an "internet friend" or two, right?! Well, Brittany is always an awesome source of advice or encouragement when I need it, so I knew she would be perfect to fill in for me while I'm off vacationing :) Enjoy!

 

Hi there! My name is Brittany and I'm a young, married mom of one. My husband's name is Jonathan and my 16 month old son's name is Caden. I am a stay at home mom and I love it!

I'm going to be talking today about skin safety during the summer and what you can do to keep your risk of skin cancer from going up. This video has been circulating on my facebook, and it is most definitely worth a watch:

Spring and summer are my favourite seasons of the year because the weather starts to warm up and we get a brief break from the snow and cold that often plagues our city. (I live in Alberta, Canada and I've seen snow in every month of the year.) And, as much as I love the sun and warmth... the sun does not like me in return.

I am a pale, freckly girl who gets a sunburn even if I'm wearing sunscreen and standing in the shade. Yeah, it's that bad.

The worst sunburn that I've ever had was when I was 17.

Doesn't that look lovely? It was the day of our church picnic, and I spent the whole day going in and out of the sun. I reapplied sunscreen faithfully, (SPF 40) but it was almost as if I had been using tanning oil instead. This particular burn was a 2nd degree burn and it blistered and scarred.
You'd think that after that I would have learned that Mr. Sun had it out for me... but no, I kept going out, (with sunscreen, most of the time ) hoping that we could peacefully coexist. ...No dice.
Though I haven't burned that badly again, I've gotten at least a couple of sunburns every spring/summer since then.

Yesterday was the first day of this year that we went out and it was warm and sunny. Caden and I slathered on the sunscreen and I kept my fingers crossed that I wouldn't burn. We were out for about an hour and a half, and sure enough - I burned. (This photo was taken last night. When I woke up this morning I saw that it's now deeper red and I'm also burnt on my arms and face.)

Now, I also must admit that I've purposely burned a few times with the intention of getting a tan and to prevent future burns. (And because I like how I look when I'm tanned. I mean, who doesn't?)

This is the darkest that my skin has ever been:

A close family member of mine was diagnosed with skin cancer a couple of years ago, and it really opened my eyes to how much damage has already been done to my skin, and how I had upped my chances for a skin cancer diagnosis of my own in the future. Since then I have become more conscious about applying sunscreen and trying to avoid the sun during it's peak hours.

I'd like to share some information with you about sun exposure and skin cancer. Taken from About.com: (http://cancer.about.com/od/skincancermelanoma/tp/skincancerfacts.htm)

8 Shocking Facts About Skin Cancer
1. About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by ultra-violet exposure.
The UV rays of the sun are responsible for most non-melanoma skin cancers. Unprotected exposure to these rays can come from being outdoors, lying in tanning beds, and even having exposure through your car or home windows.

2. One person dies from melanoma almost every hour.
A common misconception is that you cannot die from skin cancer. Unfortunately, about 8,000 people will die of melanoma in the U.S. this year. It is estimated that 2,800 people will die of non-melanoma skin cancer this year as well. The sad thing is that most of these deaths could have been prevented by following easy skin cancer prevention methods.

3. Skin cancer accounts for nearly 50% of all cancers combined.
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among men and women.  Exposure to UV rays through natural and artifical means is the culprit. Since skin cancer is such a common type of cancer, it is advised that everyone examine their skin at home and undergo a yearly clinical skin exam by their doctor.

4. More than one million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year.
The American Cancer Society estimates that 1.5 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year, a number that is expectetd to continually rise. The culprit? Exposure to harmful UV rays from the sun and artificial means like tanning beds.

5. Skin cancer is most deadly for African Americans, Asians, and Latinos.
The risk of developing melanoma is rather low for African Americans, Asians, and Latinos, however this type of skin cancer is typically more deadly for these groups. You should know that all people are at risk of developing skin cancer, regardless of ethnicity.

6. One in Three Caucasians will be diagnosed with skin cancer.
One in five Americans will be diagnosed in their lifetime with skin cancer. The risk is higher for white individuals: one in three.

7. Just one bad burn in childhood increases the risk of developing melanoma later.
Protecting children against UV exposure is essential for healthy skin into adulthood. A single blistering sunburn during childhood increases the risk of melanoma as an adult.

8. Men are diagnosed with skin cancer more often than women.
Did you know that men are twice as likely to develop skin cancer than women? In fact, skin cancer is more common than prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer in men over 50. This makes skin cancer the most common type of cancer in men over 50.

Did I read that right? One in THREE Caucasians will be diagnosed with skin cancer. Yikes, that scares the stuffing out of me!
The point of this post? To urge you (if you haven't already) to start applying sunscreen every time you go outside, and to encourage you to start looking after your skin now. Also,talk to people you know about the risks of sun exposure and what they can do to lower their chances of having a skin cancer diagnosis in their future.

Some tips from the Evironmental Working Group's 2010 Sunscreen Guide:
(http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/top-sunscreen-tips/)

But first things first – do these before applying sunscreen. The best defenses against getting too much harmful UV radiation are protective clothes, shade and timing. Check out checklist:
Don’t get burned. Red, sore, blistered (then peeling) skin is a clear sign you’ve gotten far too much sun. Sunburn increases skin cancer risk – keep your guard up!
Wear clothes. Shirts, hats, shorts and pants shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays – and don’t coat your skin with goop. A long-sleeved surf shirt is a good start.
Find shade – or make it. Picnic under a tree, read beneath an umbrella, take a canopy to the beach. Keep infants in the shade – they lack tanning pigments (melanin) to protect their skin.

Plan around the sun. If your schedule is flexible, go outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. UV radiation peaks at midday, when the sun is directly overhead.
Sunglasses are essential. Not just a fashion accessory, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV radiation, a cause of cataracts.

Now put on sunscreen – here are the essentials, beyond the quick tips.
Some sunscreens prevent sunburn but not other types of skin damage. Make sure yours provides broad-spectrum protection and follow our other tips for better protection.

Don’t be fooled by a label that boasts of high SPF. Anything higher than “SPF 50+” can tempt you to stay in the sun too long, suppressing sunburn but not other kinds of skin damage. FDA says these numbers are misleading. Stick to SPF 15-50+, reapply often and pick a product based on your own skin, time planned outside, shade and cloud cover.
News about Vitamin A. Eating vitamin A-laden vegetables is good for you, but spreading vitamin A on the skin may not be. New government data show that tumors and lesions develop sooner on skin coated with vitamin A-laced creams. Vitamin A, listed as “retinyl palmitate” on the ingredient label, is in 41 percent of sunscreens. Avoid them.

Ingredients matter. Avoid the sunscreen chemical oxybenzone, a synthetic estrogen that penetrates the skin and contaminates the body. Look for active ingredients zinc, titanium, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX. These substances protect skin from harmful UVA radiation and remain on the skin, with little if any penetrating into the body. Also, skip sunscreens with insect repellent – if you need bug spray, buy it separately and apply it first.
Pick a good sunscreen. EWG’s sunscreen database rates the safety and efficacy of about 1,400 products with SPF, including about 500 sunscreens for beach and sports. We give high ratings to brands that provide broad-spectrum, long-lasting protection with ingredients that pose fewer health concerns when the body absorbs them

Cream, spray or powder – and how often? Sprays and powders cloud the air with tiny particles of sunscreen that may not be safe to breathe. Choose creams instead. Reapply them often, because sunscreen chemicals break apart in the sun, wash off and rub off on towels and clothing.
Message for men: Wear sunscreen. Surveys show that 34 percent of men wear sunscreen, compared to 78 percent of women. Start using it now to reduce your cumulative lifetime exposure to damaging UV radiation.

Got your Vitamin D? Many people don’t get enough vitamin D, which skin manufactures in the presence of sunlight. Your doctor can test your level and recommend supplements or a few minutes of sun daily on your bare skin (without sunscreen).

I highly recommend that you check out their site (http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/) and read their guide to finding the best sunscreen for you and your family. 

I hope that this post has helped shed some light on the dangers of sun exposure and that you will have a fun and safe time in the sun this summer!!

~Brittany

This Everyday Love