Ouchies! 
With one member of a currently visiting branch of the family suffering from ’sun scream’ it seems appropriate to pass on some advice I received recently from a dermatologist. Though I am not pale-skinned, my skin is fairer than the typical Spanish/Latino skin types you will see here. The dermatologist was very firm that loose long sleeved cotton shirts and light trousers, large brimmed floppy hats and high factor suncream were essential for lighter skinned expats living in Tenerife.
Just in case you are not convinced here are some scary facts:
- Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.
- Suffering just one blistering sunburn in your life will increase your chances of developing skin cancer by 60%
- 80% of your lifetime sun damage is received by the time you are 18 years old.
These and more are discussed at The Skin Cancer Foundation
And here are a couple more sites specifically aimed at getting kids to cover up in the sun.
Sunwise – teaching kids to take care in the sun.
Protect Your Skin – Tanning Advice
Quick tip: If your shadow is longer than you are then you are safe in the sun. If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun can burn your skin.
I hope that everyone will take note of this article … I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma 18 months ago & have had to have surgery, chemotherapy & radiotherapy. The melanoma may not even have originated from being here in Tenerife, but from years ago when people weren’t so “sun-aware” and weren’t so careful about putting lotion on, myself included. These days I can’t sunbathe at all & always wear long sleeves & trousers when I go out during the day.
I used to be a huge sun lover and was so pleased that I rarely burned. Maybe I would have taken better care of my skin if I had. Thank you for posting, Val. It is really important that people realise it is not necessary to burn in order to cause problems down the road.
Val, best wishes for your recovery.
Just FYI, I read a news piece yesterday that said that sunscreens containing Vitamin A have been determined to contribute to the problem rather than help prevent it–so read your labels!