Cancer from tanning

[pomtzu]

In my younger day, I was one that was in pursuit of that perfect tan. I spent hour upon hour laying in the sun without sunblock - in the yard, at the pool, by the ocean. I usually got a good burn at least once each season, and then tanned absolutely beautifully the rest of the time.

As I got older, I found it totally boring to be laying around in the sun, and usually after about a half hour, I was done. Add to that, I lost my tolerance of being in the sun much and the heat really bothered me. Unless I could lay on a raft in the pool, then I just avoided being in the sun altogether.

Tanning beds - not for me - and they seem to be worse than the actual sun from what I have read.

Both my father and brother had skin cancer on their backs. This came from working outside shirtless, and spending a lot of time on their boats in the summer. Add to that, my brother lived in FL for about 40 years, and got a longer and stronger dose of it than my New England father ever did.

I guess I consider myself fortunate that I never had any skin issues from my overexposure to the sun when I was younger, and the little bit that I do get out in the summer now, gives me enough of a tan to look "healthy" without going about it in an unhealthy way.

Best wishes to your friend, Marigold. Hoping that all works out well for her.


ETA - fortunately, both my father's and brother's were caught early - removed - and no recurrence.