The Best Sunscreen?

Hmmmm ... Who makes this sunscreen? It may not be bottled easily but I have been told that it is in fact the best sunscreen in the world.

There's a 99% chance you'll live ...

As much as this blog depicts the perils of not wearing the best sunscreen, we must also understand that recent research shows that when detected early, the survival rate for people with melanoma is nearly 99%.

However, if left unchecked and not caught in the early stages of formation, skin cancer survival rates can be as low as 15%. Yikes. And we all no people who refuse to go to the doctor even at the worst of times - never a good idea.

So just as much as women conduct self examinations for breast cancer, and men for testicular cancer, we all must regularly check our moles and sun spots for irregularities.

According to healthy and fit magazine here are some tips on detection and warning signs:

"Gather a bright light; a full-length mirror; a hand mirror; two chairs or stools and a blow-dryer.

1. Examine head and face, using one or both mirrors. Use a blow-dryer to inspect scalp.
2. Check hands, front and back, including nails. In a full-length mirror examine elbows, arms and underarms.
3. Focus on neck, chest, and torso. Women: check under breasts.
4. With back to mirror, use a hand mirror to inspect back of neck, shoulders, upper arms, back, buttocks, legs.
5. Sitting down on one chair with leg propped up on the other, check legs and feet, including soles, heels, and nails. Use hand mirror to examine genitals.

The warning signs:
A skin growth that increases in size and appears pearly, translucent, tan, brown, black or multi-colored
A mole, birthmark, beauty mark or any brown spot that:
changes color
increases in size or thickness
changes in texture
is irregular in outline
is bigger than 6 mm (1/4 inch), the size of pencil eraser
appears after age 21
A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode or bleed
An open sore that does not heal within three week"

So to everybody out there, ensure that you regularly observe your skin - it might just save your life.

Freckles and the Sun (sounds like a kid's book eh?)

Freckles are small brownish spots on our skin, usually we find them on our face and particularly on the nose. They are caused by special cells in the skin that produce a pigment called melanin, when the melanin is built up enough in a particular area a freckle will usually form. This uneven distribution results in clusters of freckles forming in certain areas as well.

So Pipi Longstocking asks, "How do I get rid of my freckles?" Well bleaching agents are the most usual treatment, but laser removal is also gaining popularity. Some even say that Retin-A is a good treatment. I have even heard of liquid nitrogen being used to lighten freckles.

Prevention is the best treatment to stand guard against unwanted freckles - obviously using the best sunscreen you can find.

Wow! Check this out!

The best sunscreen available to you should always be worn before any exposure outside. Here is what can happen!

Would you rather get the Best Sunscreen or pay for this?

The best sunscreen is the best prevention against wrinkles and premature aging. Or you could pay for this:

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Why do I care about the best sunscreen?

The reason behind this blog lies in a recent death caused from skin cancer. Awhile back my mother was telling me of a coworker she knew that had been given two months to live. A malignant melanoma had had spread through his body. Recently he died, and to further intensify the situation my mother two had a confirmed case of skin cancer. Hers however, was easily taken care of through a routine procedure involving scraping away at the skins surface and examining the sample until it was clear of any cancerous cells. Needless to say, my mother has been left with a scar to remind her of the power of the sun. So I am dedicated to providing readers with the best possible information regarding protecting yourself from the power of the sun's rays with the best sunscreen available.

How sore can it get?

If I had to recall one of the most physically uncomfortable situations in my life it would be one as a result of a sunburn. I'm sure most of you have experienced a burn so bad that it kept you awake at night. The kind where you thought that it just couldn't get any worse.

I was on the shores of the Indian ocean in Mombasa, Kenya. At 8 years old there are still a few things that a parent needs to do for their child or they just won't do it themselves; applying sunscreen is one of them. With her gone that day I was left to play with a friend by the pool all day. You know where this is going, the scorching rays of the African sun, no hat, no shirt, no sunscreen - by the time 5 o'clock rolled around I looked like a walking tomato.

When she arrived back to find me huddled in my bed with a towel drenched in water, I will never forget the look on her face. It said "I am so sorry I left you, and how stupid are you" all at the same time. I was in so much pain I fainted twice. My skin was so hot that it turned an ice cold wet towel warm in seconds. Rushed to the hospital I remember the look on the faces of the staff working there - it only made me feel worse.

I had managed to get the most severe burn the doctor had ever seen, not necessarily because of the amount of my exposure but because I had such fair skin. The only remedy at the time was painkiller, and aloe vera gel. That is the worst thing about a sunburn, only time can cure your misery.

That night I laid awake unable to sleep a wink. It hurt everywhere, I wanted to sleep standing up because anything touching my body only made it worse. You can imagine rolling around in a hard, sterile hospital bed - ouch!

The following days were hell. I started to look like I had leprosy, blisters had formed everywhere and I was peeling like a stripper in Vegas; not fun.

So I think we all can agree that not protecting yourself from the sun is one of the dumbest things you can do - I still wondering today what that one sunburn has done to my skin and the potential of the C-word.