Skin Cancer and Surfing
Skin cancer is scourge among the surfing community. Dedicated surfers wittingly put themselves at risk of developing this disease every single day and thus increase this risk every day, month, and year that goes by. Sitting in the water waiting for waves, watching your bros get some waves, checking the surf all with the sun beating down and the rays reflecting off the water into your face, surfing is the perfect breeding ground for skin cancer on any exposed skin (e.g.
backs of the hands and arms, face, nose, lips, ears, and the bald head). No doubt, those with lighter skin are more susceptible, but nobody (I mean no body) is safe from this surfing ailment 9other ailments can include surfer's ear, pterygium (surfer's eye), and even surf rash).
There are three common forms of skin cancer. Here they are listed from least deadly to most deadly: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The first two are the most common while the last (Melanoma) is least common but can metastasize and spread throughout the body.
Skin cancer itself is the world’s most common form of cancer with some 1 million new cases each ear. Sadly, if you surf regularly and you live into your 60’s, you will see some skin cancer rise in your skin. There is one way for you to keep abreast of possible cancers: inspect your skin while you are in the shower and ask your significant other to take a gander at you back for any suspicious moles or freckles lurking around.
Checking regularly will alert you to the most common sign of a budding skin cancer which is a marked change in appearance in a section of your skin (e.g.
a surge in a mole’s growth, a sore that won’t heal, or a change in color).
Several risks abound for developing skin cancer which include:
High levels of sun exposure: this includes tanning beds in addition to daily UV rays.
Age: it stands to reason that the longer you bake, the closer you are to getting burnt.
UV exposure (like tanning booths): really, tanning booths?
Living or spending a lot of time in areas close to the equator: all the best waves and conditions are found right there along that symmetrical slice in the planet.
How do you avoid developing skin cancer? Well, there is no silver bullet, but when it comes to surfing, it ain’t easy.
Limit your exposure to the sun
Avoid the peak sun hours around noon time
wear a wide hat and light colored clothing
Use lot of sunscreen
So here’s the deal: surfers are perfect candidates for developing skin cancer, mainly because we spend any and all time in a cancer breeding ground. The sun is beating down. It is reflecting off the ocean and clouds. The wind, salt, and sand are drying our skin to a crisp, making it particularly vulnerable.
And no one is safe as we all saw when former longboard champion Stuart Entwistle died from skin cancer in 2007.
Bottom line: slather yourself in sunscreen and wear a light colored rash guard. If you are going bald, be sure to invest in a surf hat or if you are totally bald, rub your skull (!) with plenty of sunscreen. If possible, surf early mornings and late evenings avoid high noon (sure, this will raise your risk of a shark attack). Above all, check your skin daily and see your dermatologist a couple times a year.
backs of the hands and arms, face, nose, lips, ears, and the bald head). No doubt, those with lighter skin are more susceptible, but nobody (I mean no body) is safe from this surfing ailment 9other ailments can include surfer's ear, pterygium (surfer's eye), and even surf rash).
There are three common forms of skin cancer. Here they are listed from least deadly to most deadly: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The first two are the most common while the last (Melanoma) is least common but can metastasize and spread throughout the body.
Skin cancer itself is the world’s most common form of cancer with some 1 million new cases each ear. Sadly, if you surf regularly and you live into your 60’s, you will see some skin cancer rise in your skin. There is one way for you to keep abreast of possible cancers: inspect your skin while you are in the shower and ask your significant other to take a gander at you back for any suspicious moles or freckles lurking around.
Checking regularly will alert you to the most common sign of a budding skin cancer which is a marked change in appearance in a section of your skin (e.g.
a surge in a mole’s growth, a sore that won’t heal, or a change in color).
Several risks abound for developing skin cancer which include:
High levels of sun exposure: this includes tanning beds in addition to daily UV rays.
Age: it stands to reason that the longer you bake, the closer you are to getting burnt.
UV exposure (like tanning booths): really, tanning booths?
Living or spending a lot of time in areas close to the equator: all the best waves and conditions are found right there along that symmetrical slice in the planet.
How do you avoid developing skin cancer? Well, there is no silver bullet, but when it comes to surfing, it ain’t easy.
Limit your exposure to the sun
Avoid the peak sun hours around noon time
wear a wide hat and light colored clothing
Use lot of sunscreen
So here’s the deal: surfers are perfect candidates for developing skin cancer, mainly because we spend any and all time in a cancer breeding ground. The sun is beating down. It is reflecting off the ocean and clouds. The wind, salt, and sand are drying our skin to a crisp, making it particularly vulnerable.
And no one is safe as we all saw when former longboard champion Stuart Entwistle died from skin cancer in 2007.
Bottom line: slather yourself in sunscreen and wear a light colored rash guard. If you are going bald, be sure to invest in a surf hat or if you are totally bald, rub your skull (!) with plenty of sunscreen. If possible, surf early mornings and late evenings avoid high noon (sure, this will raise your risk of a shark attack). Above all, check your skin daily and see your dermatologist a couple times a year.
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