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The “C” Word
Blatherings From The Editor
As motorcycle riders will do, Wanda and I
are out and about in the wind and the sun as often as we can. Although the wind can make the ride a bit
more difficult and mess up our hair, the sun can do slow, insidious,
un-repairable damage to the body’s largest organ – our skin. A sunburn is just asking for…The “C” Word –
Cancer.
Internal cancers are hard to spot and just as hard to prevent, you can’t
see them. Skin cancers are right out
there for everyone to see…well, maybe not everyone. The point being, with a bit of mirror viewing you can easily
examine yourself and spot any suspicious looking lumps, bumps or growths. Early detection is the surest way to a cure
says the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD).
In my
case it was right under my nose…actually just a bit right of my nose. A nice behoubious bummerious glowing rosy
red and itching like the devil. So now
I have a nice new scar down the side of my head and a way better appreciation
for the sun’s skin-melting powers. Who would have though that living in the
Desert Southwest, with all our gorgeous sunny riding days, would be hazardous
to our health?
Looking back, I never did use any kind of sun block. It’s kind of like putting on makeup. I’m a guy…I don’t do that sort of thing.
Besides that, those SPF (Sun Protection Factor) goops attract dust and dirt and
made me feel gritty. I’m here to report
you can wash grit off; unfortunately those damn indigious pisserofferiouses
have to be whittled off or chiseled out.
Wearing all the gear all the time takes on a whole new meaning when
looked at through the eyes of a bulbous growth sticking out the side of your
head. Turns out it’s good for you to
have a full face helmet, it helps protect your face from the sun’s
skin-damaging UV rays; same for long sleeved jackets and gloves protecting your
arms and hands.
Keeping the sun’s UV rays off your skin is the key according to the
AAD. They recommend you stay out of the
sun during the intense midday heat (hard to do when you are out and about on
the back roads of America). When you
can’t, an SPF cream of at least 15 should be used on any skin exposed to the
sun…like your face. If you are going to
be out in the real heat of the day bare skinned, like at the beach, some
seriously higher SPF ratings are available.
Slather it on!
Part
of my daily morning routine now is to put my makeup on. I use Lancôme Absolue, a very chic French
facial creame with an SPF of 15. It
keeps the UV rays off my face, and makes me look young and youthful again. Right!
Deryle and Wanda, sharing our makeup secrets.
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