When I was a teenager, I played outside, went to the lake, “laid out,” fretted over my dreadfully white skin. Sunscreen was practically unknown then, so I was no stranger to Noxema (which seemed to be the sunburn treatment in that generation). I kinda laughed at my grandparents and even parents who mowed the yard wearing long-sleeved shirts and wide-brimmed hats. As I got older, I heard them talk about skin cancer checks and suspicious moles, but that sort of things was still years in my future.
Then I had a suspicious mole checked. The first two questions on the medical questionnaire at the dermatologist’s office where “1. Where did you grow up? 2. Did you suffer a severe sunburn before the age of 18?”
Turns out the damage you inflict on your skin as a teenager might not show up for 20 or more years. That’s why many states are banning or considering banning tanning beds for anyone under 18. Oregon is the latest to sign on, and I’m ok with that. Just like smoking, drinking, and even voting, people need a certain maturity when making a decision about something with possible long-term consequences.
Your life tip for the day?
“There is no such thing as a healthy tan. Wear sunscreen and think of your skin as ‘porcelain.’”
