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I lived in New Mexico in my early/mid 20s. Wore sunscreen religiously, but spent time outside in the sun during the hottest parts in short shorts and tank tops. Also lived in Arizona and Hawai'i after that, but was much more cautious in the sun, covering up a lot more and doing more avoiding (and, of course, wearing sunscreen).
By my mid 30s, I started having basal cells removed. First place was behind my left ear. Turns out that's a super common place for basal cells because people rarely get the sunscreen back there, and when you drive around, that area is exposed (my long hair was always in a pony tail).
One of my dermatologists explained it to me as if it were a bucket. You fill the bucket with sun exposure. At some point, it spills over and that's when you start to see skin cancers. You can stop getting sun exposure at that point, but skin cancers can still spill out of your bucket. I don't know how medically sound that analogy is, but it does seem like it's a delayed reaction to sun.
In any case, others have given great advice. Keep covered as much as possible, use sunscreen (and be sure to reapply- I think I was lax in that), and avoid sun exposure during peak hours. I've always been careful around sun compared to my friends (and I never tried to get a tan like my friends did), and yet I'm the one dealing with skin cancers in my 30s and 40s. If I would have known a little more then, I certainly would have tried to protect myself even more. One shot of sunscreen really wasn't enough.
The Santa Fe climate threat got me thinking....A few years ago I wrote off New Mexico because I was afraid that the incessant sun would be bad for my wife and son's skin. They are of Irish stock and fair and lovely as their ancestors from the land of rain and mist. I am a fair bit darker and tan easily. In any case, I am wondering if any of you have had issues with this? I do know that the high numbers of Irish & English in Australia results in one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.
How do you cope?
i wear hats,sunscreen,long sleeves, pants, to protect myself from the sun.
The Santa Fe climate threat got me thinking....A few years ago I wrote off New Mexico because I was afraid that the incessant sun would be bad for my wife and son's skin. They are of Irish stock and fair and lovely as their ancestors from the land of rain and mist. I am a fair bit darker and tan easily. In any case, I am wondering if any of you have had issues with this? I do know that the high numbers of Irish & English in Australia results in one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.
How do you cope?
I got my maternal grandfather's genes in that regard; he was a redhead in his youth of Scottish parentage, and I have brown hair with a smattering of red, freckle rather than tan, and I burn easily, and have hazel eyes. Geneticists say I'm an obvious carrier of a recessive red-hair gene. And I haven't had any problems here in Santa Fe (the highest-altitude city in the US). I use sunscreen or sunblock, tend to wear wide-brimmed hats in the summer, and walk in the shade to the extent possible. One thing I appreciate about "the incessant sun" is how easy it is to get the daily quota of Vitamin D naturally, even in winter. You'll appreciate this as you age, when getting enough Vit. D becomes more important, and a little more difficult to do, they say.
Summer days often have rain showers, which means clouds, though cloudy skies really don't protect you from the sun. People get sunburned on cloudy days as much as sunny days. But the cloudbursts help keep the temps relatively cool and tolerable (especially at our altitude), and provide some nice variety to the weather.
I wouldn't avoid NM just because of concern about sun exposure.
I wouldn't avoid NM just because of concern about sun exposure.
Agreed - pert-near all-the-time exposure to the sun is just one of the many things I not only like but love about living in beautiful New Mexico. But people, like Ruth4Truth said, put on your sunblock and wear a wide-brimmed hat when you head out in to the sun. You'll eventually appreciate that knowledge if you do not right now.
I wouldn't avoid NM just because of concern about sun exposure.
Agreed - pert-near all-the-time exposure to the sun is just one of the many things I not only like but love about living in beautiful New Mexico. But people, like Ruth4Truth said, put on your sunblock and wear a wide-brimmed hat when you head out in to the sun. You'll eventually appreciate that knowledge if you do not right now.
And most people who live here aren't out in the sun all day, let's face it. Most people work indoors. You only need to worry about it, when you're out strolling around or doing outdoor recreation, and don't forget: when you're driving! You can get sun damage to your skin through the driver's side window (I got my windows tinted, in part because of this), and the front windshield.
And most people who live here aren't out in the sun all day, let's face it. Most people work indoors. You only need to worry about it, when you're out strolling around or doing outdoor recreation, and don't forget: when you're driving! You can get sun damage to your skin through the driver's side window (I got my windows tinted, in part because of this), and the front windshield.
Indeed-eee, my current car has 30% tinting throughout, and I know it's helping me. In fact, when I worked and we lived in Kansas City, MO, I was pulled over by a cop on Stateline Rd., which runs right along the state line between Kansas and Missouri near the big city of Kansas City, MO. He told me my car looks like it beats the Kansas state law of nothing over 35% tinting.
"Your tinting looks too dark!"
"Oh really?"
"Yep, I'm gonna check it with this car tint guage."
"K."
"You're fine. Yours is 30%. Have a good day."
Whew! I hate tickets for any reason, and watch where I park really carefully, watch my speed, everything automobile-related. So I do believe in car tinting pretty much to the max on all of my car's glass, everywhere.
And most people who live here aren't out in the sun all day, let's face it. Most people work indoors. You only need to worry about it, when you're out strolling around or doing outdoor recreation, and don't forget: when you're driving! You can get sun damage to your skin through the driver's side window (I got my windows tinted, in part because of this), and the front windshield.
Indeed-eee, my current car has 30% tinting throughout, and I know it's helping me. In fact, when I worked and we lived in Kansas City, MO, I was pulled over by a cop on Stateline Rd., which runs right along the state line between Kansas and Missouri near the big city of Kansas City, MO. He told me my car looks like it beats the Kansas state law of nothing over 35% tinting.
"Your tinting looks too dark!"
"Oh really?"
"Yep, I'm gonna check it with this car tint guage."
"K."
"You're fine. Yours is 30%. Have a good day."
Whew! I hate tickets for any reason, and watch where I park really carefully, watch my speed, everything automobile-related. So I do believe in car tinting pretty much to the max on all of my car's glass, everywhere.
Yup. And I could be imagining it, but I've noticed, that it seems to keep the car interior a little cooler.
Yup. And I could be imagining it, but I've noticed, that it seems to keep the car interior a little cooler.
I agree - I think it helps cool the interior a tad, too. If we get a new or new ta us rig and it's not fully tinted there's 2 or 3 tintshops in Alamo and I'm going to hire that done. It's well worth the money ta get it done. Whatever is the highest percentage allowed I'm getting it!
I should remind about gloves, especially driving. Car door windows don't block UV and one can get a lot of it during driving time. I always wear cotton gloves when exposed to sun in the Southwest or CA, have a bunch of them, black cotton gloves. Even short walks to and from a car, store, etc can add up. Even if one doesn't end up with cancer can get ugly age spots later down the road, and bad wrinkles.
One thing that I think wasn't mentioned is high elevation, which makes UV a lot more intense.
Sunglasses to protect the eyes from UV are important.
Sunblocks tend to be toxic overall and are bad for skin. There're some with healthier ingredients, but anyway, it's eeek to walk around smeared in paste and they all only last for a couple of hours. I wouldn't put anything on my skin that isn't based on natural oils only, in any case, and carrier base ingredients alone are a problem in them, all kinds of petrochemical junk. I never use them, just use cotton long sleeves, shirt with collar to protect around the neck, wide-brimmed hiking type hats, long pants, gloves and skin stays pale so I guess don't get sun damage. I've done tent-camping in forested areas for months non-stop this way and didn't get tan.
Last edited by worldcitizen10; 04-11-2020 at 07:03 AM..
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