Tuesday, I went to the dermatologist. I have this irritating yeast on my skin called tinea versicolor. It looked different than the last two times it showed up, so I thought it might be eczema. Previously, it had been pinkish spots on my chest, which is my lighter skin tone. This time, it was white and looked like patches of dry skin on my arms and back. I, of course, was wrong it's the same pesky yeast-y fungus! It showed up different because it was on tanned skin.
I figured while I was there, I should have him look at a couple of my moles, just to be on the safe side. I didn't have any real concerns. I have a very olive skin tone, so tan really easy and have been guilty of not wearing sunscreen. In the past few years, I haven't been out in the sun as often as I used to and have had a couple sunburns. Nothing to be concerned about... or so I thought. The doctor took one look at a spot on my back and announced, "Yep, that's basal cell carcinoma. Looks like your years in the sun are catching up to you!"
Excuse me a sec? You just announced that I have skin cancer, albeit the most common form and you are lecturing me on my past?! I am 31 years old and just gave birth to my first child a year ago. I'm too young for skin cancer! Give me a second to process this, please.
Let me give you a little background on my relationship with this ass... uh doctor. Even though I have a very dark complexion, I usually still wear sunscreen. I have for quite a while. I started seeing this dermatologist, for acne problems, when I was in high school when my original one moved.
I was on swim team and we practiced outside for 1 1/2 hours in the morning and 1 1/2 hours in the evening, 5 days a week. Every weekend from the first weekend in June to the second weekend in August, there was a swim meet. After graduation, I started coaching those practices and teaching lessons in my parent's backyard pool every spare 30 minute slot. I was also a lifeguard and swim instructor the summer after I got married. Basically, I am saying I was outside just in my swimsuit a lot!
I wore sunscreen almost everyday and it was usually SPF 30 or 45. During one of my visits, while still in high school, this man gave me accused me of laying out to get tan. He yelled at me and told me how dangerous it was not only for my skin, but for the rest of my body. I was taught to respect my elders and not talk back, so I politely tried to explain the history I just gave you, including the part about wearing sunscreen. All the while I just wanted to be a smart ass and ask, "If I was trying to get tan on purpose, do you really think I would have all of these tan lines from my different types of swim suits?!" He seemed pretty skeptical and I'm still not so sure he ever believed my story.
Well, now as he so bluntly put it, my years of sun exposure are catching up to me. While I have already been careful with what I put on my son, I will be more diligent because he also has an olive complexion. I already worried about chemicals in his sunscreen, avoiding oxybenzone and using the Safer Sunscreen list from safemama.com. I will make the trip to see the ass... er doctor twice a year, as I am now on his radar. (Thankfully, I asked because he wouldn't have otherwise checked.) Apparently, I am not too young for skin cancer.
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