Okay boys and girls, use sunscreen before you're old like me

Because, I gotta tell you, it completely sucks to start your day at the dermatologist's office getting something called a "shave biopsy" done to what he thinks is basel cell cancer on your face!

I mean, it really sucks!

 

Very sorry to hear that. There's still the strong possibility that it's nothing to worry about, right?

 

Ouch!

Hope its "benign" (as if it could be...)

------------------
James Greeson
Senior Wannabe,
GS Posse

 

Yeah, they said if you gotta have skin cancer, this is the type of have, "a non-agressive type."

I just wish I had slathered on the sunscreen, oh, about 30 years ago!

 

From, of all places, http://www.urban-forestry.com/citytrees/v35n4a08.html :


"Basel Cell Carcinoma usually appears as a small bump on the neck, scalp, hand, or trunk. Sometimes it is a reddish patch or irritated area that can itch or hurt. It can ooze and form a crust. Often these growths are smooth, with a rolled border and an indentation in the center. Sometimes they are shiny, translucent bumps that can be pink, red, or white, The skin might appear taut. Basal cell cancers do not enlarge quickly and rarely spread to other areas of the body. However, they can damage the surrounding skin surfaces, resulting in disfigurement.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma often occur on the rim of the ear and lower lip. Look for a persistent, scaly red patch that has irregular borders and sometimes crusts or bleeds. Sometimes they appear elevated, with a central depression that occasionally bleeds and can grow rapidly. Squamous cell cancers can spread to other parts of the body but most often just cause local disfigurement.

Most cases of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are caused by excessive exposure to the sun or to artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation. Prevention of these forms of skin cancer is possible by taking simple precautions. Both of these types of skin cancer tend to stay put; that is, they cause problems in the immediate area they are growing but do not spread or metastasize to other areas of the body."


SPF30 or 48 for me when I'm at the track. That, along with the fact that I'm not a white boy like JU, puts me in a lower risk group. But not totally free of the danger.

Don't worry John, I am confident this obstacle will be nothing but a small bump in the road for ya. Don't let it get you down; otherwise the cancer will win regardless of the extent of damage. And the world knows how much you don't enjoy being beat, regardless of the game being played.

 

Sh!t...

A quick search of basal cell cancer found:

Source:
http://www.afraidtoask.com/skinCA/intro.html

Hopefully it ain't what they think it is...

Good luck JU!

 

Thanks Rick, now I'm gonna feel itchy and icky all day...


------------------
James Greeson
Senior Wannabe,
GS Posse

 

Don't you always?

------------------
- Erik "Cheezy-E" Mathy
Head Bratwurst Wrangler
GS Posse

 

Wow. Of all people JU, I would have never thought you would have this. You always smell like a bucket of sunscreen. So, Rick...when was Sunscreen invented?

 

JU, I hope everything turns out okay for you. I'll keep you in my prayers.

 

John,
I went through something similar at age 23 with an overly anxious doctor and a birth mark. Scary Sh!t dude until the results come in. I'd wager that the doctor is going for the better safe then sorry approach to medicine. Good Luck, Mein Freud.
The thing I am terrorized with is the fact that in 3 years, I'm due for the "Rubber glove, grab your ankles, slight pressure" exam! Mano, I'll prob. get Amazon Pete the proctologist with the world largest hands and a hatred for people with German last names. :eek

 

Thanks for the support.

Laurie, I use sunscreen like crazy now but I really needed to have started using it, like I said, about 30 years ago! I've been having little bumps frozen off my arms (with liquid nitrogen) for a couple years but this face stuff is bigger and nastier looking. I think it's the same stuff John McCain had.

 

I'm not quite sure when, but here is some info on the background. I've posted the text here because it is difficult to read at the web site. The author lives in Pit Bull, Alabama, known to others as Huntsville.

From http://www.um.es/~eutsum/escuela/Apuntes_Informatica/Divulgacion/Quimica/Lociones_UV.html :

UV-absorbing lotions help prevent skin damage from tanning and burning

William H. Stevenson III

The allure of a golden tan has paled somewhat in recent Years. Growing awareness of the role of UV light in causing skin cancer and premature wrinkling has led hosts of modern-day sun worshipers to join the burn-and-peel set in donning copious amounts of sunscreen before venturing outdoors. To some, these miraculous lotions represent freedom from blistering skin and sweltering clothes, whereas to others they hold the promise of youthful skin well into the future. The proliferation of sunscreens is truly a monument to the use of chemistry to improve the lives and recreation of millions.

REFLECTORS

When Christopher Columbus first explored the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1492, he recorded that the natives "all paint themselves, some black, some other colors, but mostly red. I have learned that they do this on account of the sun, which does not injure them as much if they are painted." This account of Native American "painting" of minerals mixed with fats or tallow has been called the first printed reference to suntan lotions (1). Yet such formulations probably were not unknown in the Old World. Greek athletes preparing for the Olympic games about 400 B.C. trained outdoors and in the nude. Because even an oliveskinned Greek would suffer under the Aegean sun, athletes are said to have rubbed themselves with a mixture of sand and oil-sand to block the damaging light and oil to provide a nonvolatile base resistant to sweat

Such formulations are remarkably similar to the reflecting sunblocks of today. Ointments still use an oily base, although mineral oil, white wax, white petrolatum, or long-chain benzoic: acid esters have replaced olive oil and tallow. The mineral component is now zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, white powders highly reflective of UV light. However, the basic principle is little changed from the days of the early Olympics. Physical sunblocks remain the most effective chemical protection from UV rays and are favored by professionals such as lifeguards who face daily exposure to intense sunlight

The main drawback of physical sunscreens is that they are opaque. Whereas children may love face painting with some of the brightly colored formulations, few adults relish looking like a clown or a ghost. For sunscreens to achieve wide acceptance, the skills of the organic chemist were needed to make a product that blocked the sun's rays while bemig itself invisible-a difficult task indeed.

ABSORBERS

In principle, the mechanism of UV absorbers is simple. A certain range of the solar spectrum is damaging to human skin. So if we coat the skin with an organic chemical that strongly absorbs that part of the spectrum, we are protected from danger, even though the coating may be transparent to the rest of the range and therefore virtually invisible to sight Which compounds are the best UV absorbers? To answer this question, we need to look first at the characteristics of the UV spectrum.

A UV PRIMER

Ultraviolet light of interest in suntanning may be divided into three classes. UVA is the lowest energy component with a wavelength of 320-400 nm. Ordinarily, it causes little burning, but it penetrates deeply, beyond the surface layer of the skin (epidermis). Over long periods of exposure, UVA is believed to cause wrinkling and premature aging of the skin.

UVB is a more energetic component, with rays in the range of 290-320 rim. These are the chief burning and tanning rays and are a major factor in producing skin cancer. However, they do not penetrate beyond the epidermis.

UVC is the most energetic component with rays in the range of 200-290 nm. 'Mese are intensely burning rays. Fortunately, virtually all of them are absorbed by the earth's own sunscreen, the ozone layer. They are not a factor for those of us on the surface of the earth, at least not yet.

Thus, the ideal organic sunscreen should strongly absorb UV fight in the range of 290-400 nm, screening out both UVA and UVB. It should also be nontoxic, nonstaining, odorless, waterproof, sweatproof, and cheap. Combining all of these factors in a single compound is a tall order, and the history of sunscreen formulations shows how difficult it has proved to be.

EARLY ABSORBERS

The first UV absorber to be widely used was para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) which was populat in sunscreens as early as the 1920s. PABA is a good absorber of UVI3 and is relatively cheap. However, it is a poor absorber of UVA and has significant solubility in water, making it useless for swimmers. Furthermore, it tended to be irritating to many people, parficularly those who had already been slightly sunburned; indeed some people whc needed it the mos could not use it

Sunscreen teclinology took a major step forward with the development of PABA esters in the mid-1970 in which the carboxylic acid group of tf molecule has been functionalized with long,chain aliphatic alcohol such as a C 8 unit. The esterification did,not affect the UV absorption spectrium significantly, but it rendered the compound virtually insoluble in water, making possible the first "waterpro sunscreens. PABA esters were also much less irritating to the skin than their carboxylic acid precursors and were among the most popular sunscreer gredients through the 1980s.

However, in 1989 a report surh in the news media stating that a PABA ester, padimate-O, could decompose to, give an N-nitrosamine degradation product. Because some N-nitrosamines were known to be potent carcinogens this report caused a flurry of alarm among sunscreen users. The air of nitrosamines actually detecti padimate-O sunscreens was small, and these formulations had been used for fifteen years without ca any problems associated with skin cancer. Nevertheless, this issue hurt the reputation of PABA-based sunscreens and . hastened their departure from the field. Today, it is difficult to find a sunscreen that contains PABA or PABA esters.


FULL-SPECTRUM ABSORBERS

Many sunscreens currently are advertised as "full-spectrum" absorbers, meaning that they absorb both UVA and UVB. To absorb lower wavelength UVA light, a greater degree of conjugation was needed in a molecule compared with PABA derivatives. One of the first compounds to be used for broad-spectrum protection was oxybenzone, also known as benzophenone-3, which was included in sunscreens by the early 1980s. Also developed was octocrylene, regarded as one of the most "substantive" or persistent agents for waterproof formulations.

Oxybenzone and octocrylene are currently mainstays of full-spectrum formulations, although they are always combined with other agents that give overlapping absorption in the entire range of 290-400 nm. Some of these latter ingredients are derived from salicylic acid, for example, homosalate and octyl salicylate, and may be considered replacements for the PABA esters. Cinnamates, such as octyl methoxycinnamate, are also popular sunscreen ingredients.

Thanks to the efforts of chemists and formulators, the consumer now has the choice of dozens of sunscreen products. The most common oil-based lotions are those that contain moisturizers or even Vitamins A, C, or E, allegedly for extra skin care. For people who dislike the greasy feel of the oils, alcohol- and gel-based products are available, some of which claim to be "sand resistant" because they are less tacky than the oils and don't pick up sand as easily.

Whichever sunscreen is chosen, it is important to pick one strong enough for the job. Sunscreens are rated by a 4isun protection factor" (SPF), which is defined as follows:

SPF = Time it takes to burn if wearing sunscreen/Time it takes to burn if not wearing sunscreen

Thus, if you apply an SPF 4 sunscreen, you can stay in the sun four times longer without burning than you could without wearing it. Unless you are trying to get a tan, your sunscreen should be a minimum of SPF 15. Proper application is important. If you 'Plan to do any swimming (or sweating), apply a copious amount of waterproof sunscreen half an hour beforehand. This will give it a chance to permeate the skin and provide maximum protection. To cover an entire body requires about two ounces of lotion. A standard eight-ounce bottle won't last long for someone whole' wears a bikini or a Speed

Just how dangerous is the sun for those who insist on getting a tan? 'Me majority of dermatologists argue that the tanning process is a reaction to skin damage and therefore any tan should be avoided: There is no such thing as a "healthy tan." Certainly no one who burns easily should try to get a tan, and people who tan readily should exercise moderation. Such people still need sunscreens, however, in order to keep their tans moderate. Even people who have naturally darker complexions need to use sunscreens. Nobody should get sunburned.

Some salons have advertised that they use "nonburning" ultraviolet fight (i.e., UVA light), implying that customers may tan safely. This, however, requires long exposure to radiation that may cause leathery or wrinkled skin later in life. Is a tan worth this risk?

Regardless of whether you want a tan, you no longer have to avoid the sun. With a little help from chemistry, activities in the sun have become a lot safer for everyone.

Acknowledgments

The author would Eke to acknowledge Bill Durkin and Mike Davies of Chattem, Inc. (Chattanooga, TN) and Jim Tehan of Aloe Gator Suncare Products (Irving, TX) for their assistance with this article.

Reference

(1) The Log of Christopher Columbus; Fuson, R H., Translator; International Marine Pubfishing: Camden, ME, 1987. (Me description of Caribbean sunscreens is contained in the December 24, 1492, entry.)

Suggested reading

Gourley, P L; Gourley, G. M. Protect Your Life in

the Sun; Highlight Publishing: Albuquerque, NM, 1993.

Siegel, M-E. Safe in the Sun; Walker and Co.:

New York, NY, 1990.

WILLIAM H. STEVENSON III received a A.D. in organic chemistry the University of Ilinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1984. He lives in Huntsville, AL, where he develops new ingredients for rocket fuel. His freelance articles have appeared in The Toastmaster and Sail.

 

smart ass

 

Wait till you have to (if you have to, I hope you don't) use the stuff that attacks pre-cancerous cells.
Two guys at work have done it. It's a gel you spread on your face and it basically eats off a layer of skin over the period of a month. Dudes looked like Freddy Krueger coming to work! Pieces hanging off and red everywhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It must really work though. One guy was a instructor pilot in the C-130s. Most of the left side of his face was red from sitting in the left seat at altitude. Other guy was a fighter pilot and you could see where his oxygen mask use to protect parts of his face from the sun!

[This message has been edited by Huey130 (edited 12-13-2001).]

 

Hey guys don't wait to get anything like a mole or anything checked my brother had a case of melanoma at age 22. This was even on his upper arm under his tan line. Everything is good now but what a scare at such a young age. You don't have to be old to get this stuff.

Use the sunscreen guys.

 

Good luck with the treatments... I live drowned in sunscreen. My father is red-haired/complected, and has lots of sun-related skin prblems. I burn easily and try to learn from his dilemna. Also I take meds for Hep C, which make me very sun-sensitive. I was drowned in sunscreen at all the races, wore long sleeves, etc, and my scalp got burned through my hair.

[This message has been edited by Eric (edited 12-13-2001).]

 

Thanks Rick.

 

JU, we are all grateful it isn't something worse.
I hope you feel better soon.

 

Don't be worried until you feel both of his hands on your shoulders!