Sunscreen...is it important?

Today tanning has become increasing popular, especially no thanks to shows that promote it, such as Jersey Shore, Because of thus, sunscreen is tossed by the way side and what are we left with? Sunburns and skin cancer.

I'm 22 years old and battling basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Yesterday I had surgery to remove the initial tumor and will have to see if and when more tissue needs to be removed.

You can see progress here: BCC Journey

That being said, is sunscreen important? Absolutely YES . Hats are also particularly important concerning the scalp where most of us can't feasibly wear sunscreen. UV protection is extremely important.

Rules to live by:

1. Always apply sunscreen approximately an hour before going out in the sun.
2. Wear a hat! It protects your scalp, a very vulnerable part of the skin.
3. Monitor changes in the skin. Do you have moles? Have they grown, gotten darker, become asymmetrical, raised, etc?
4. Drink lots of water, because our bodies can't live without it. By the time you're thirsty, dehydration has already started.
5. Easy on the Gatorade. While the electrolytes in it are awesome to aid in bouncing back from dehydration, drinking it willy Billy throws off your electrolyte balance and has cause a whole slew of problems.

Protect yourselves friends. If you do end up with a sunburn, aloe works best and lots of water.

Take care,

Crystal