Sun's Kiss Isn't Always Sweet

This past Saturday was an extra beautiful day here in Florida. The sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the sky. There was a soft and gentle breeze calling out to me, which became irresistible, and I had to answer its call! However, I do err on the side of caution, with good reason. More than 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year; and the vast majority can blame it on that big ball of fire in the sky! I do not plan on being included in these statistics.

On any given day, whether I go outside for a few minutes, or a few hours, I always use a sunscreen. First of all, I use a sunscreen that is gentle to my facial skin, and I always use a balm with at least 15 SPF for my lips. It only took one time, but my lips actually got pretty burnt one year. Other than that, I wear a minimum of a 30 SPF water-proof spray on my body, and I always wear my sunglasses and hat. Have you ever tried sun-screen sprays? They are great! You do not have to rely upon someone else to get those unreachable places! WooHoo!

Well, as I was saying, this past Saturday was no exception! I ended up outside enjoying the sun, and chatting with a neighbor over the fence line about her horses and pets. She almost immediately started talking about the skin cancer that she had removed from the bridge of her nose. Now, I admit that I DID notice that she looked like she had been punched in the nose, but of course, I did not ask, I just pretended that I didn't notice (but you could tell that she was uncomfortable with her appearance and recent visit to the dermatologist).

So, that got me thinking. Would I recognize skin cancer if I had it? I was not sure, so I hit the Internet and went looking for these answers. Here is the best answer that I found.

When looking for potential problems, remember the ABCDs of skin cancer: Asymmetrical shape; Border that is irregular; Color that is uneven or multiple colors; and Diameter that has changed.

There are three basic types of skin cancer: