Protect yourself from Skin Cancer
 

This is a subject that none of us like to think about...but one we all need to none the less.

I have been Boating, Swimming and Fishing in Florida most of my life....40 plus years of it anyway. We are blessed here in South Florida with being able to enjoy year round boating and I have taken advantage of that every chance I get !!

Now...at age 63...it is catching up with me. I am going thru a series of surgeries having cancerous lesions removed fro various parts of my body...Scalp,face, neck, shoulder and legs.Luckily...they are all Basal Cell and Squamas Cell Carcinomas as opposed to the deadly Melanomas.
Back in the '70's we really didn't have "Sun Block"...we had Coppertone and Sea & Ski that maybe had an SPF of 4 !!! LOL. During the mid to late '80's we started seeing SPF ratings on Sun Protection products as Dermatologist and the public became more aware of Skin Cancer and it's damaging effects. By the late '80's and thru the '90's most of my damage was already done. I went to the dermatologist every few years and had a few places cut or frozen off. So...40 years later I'm getting the bigger stuff removed. I have a great Dermatologist and Plastic Surgeon.
These things require Skin Grafts and are a pain in the ass to deal with. These damn things aren't just painful to have removed...it also gets expensive. Money I would much rather spend restoring my boat is being spent to restore me LOL !!!

As I write this I am sitting inside in front of my computer, with my head wrapped in gauze...recovering from an out patient surgery this morning that required General Anesthesia. I have to wear my "Terrorist Costume" for six days until I go back to my plastic surgeon to have a check up. Then we start planning the next round of surgery.

So my word to you is...and I stress this as an old member of the boating community and your friend....keep you and your family protected from the sun !! Where you can't cover exposed skin...use a high quality BLOCK...on your face, neck, scalp, etc. I see a lot of guys headed offshore to fish now with hats and neck capes, long sleeve SPF rated micro fiber shirts,etc.

And for those of you that only get out in the Summer months up North...don't think you are immune to this. You sit inside covered up all winter and on that first good boating weekend you are out there bearing the old white pasty bod to the Sun...just so you can go back to the office on Monday...burned up and the envy of all you work buds !! Going from zero to burned is where you do the most damage !!

Start making Sun Protection as big a part of your Boating Safety Equipment as your, Fire Extinguishers, electronics, PFD's, flares, extra lines, anchor,etc.

As for me...I'll definitely be back on the water soon...but you can bet I'll be covered up with Sun Block and/or SPF rated clothing!!!:evilb:

Well said my wife has had the same thing done, but we do use a lot off sunblock during the summer, can't imagine going with out it.

Sprink58 -- First I totally agree with your comments – and I hope you are doing well and all suspected areas are gone!!

I had a lesion removed this past summer – atypical cells but not cancer. I had Mohs surgery - which in my opinion is the biggest racket since boat repair—

Let me explain.

First the method and science behind Mohs surgery is phenomenal – I truly think it is a great process – but in my opinion it depends where the suspected lesion is. Mine was on the top of my head – and yes I am kinda bald- no I am bald. Every time the surgeon walked out of the room it cost me about $1000.00 to have a specimen excised and examined. It took three trips -- I have a little experience in the surgical suites. Back in the day (when we had 9 planets) someone would present with a suspected lesion, the Physician would excise a good margin around the area, sew it up and send a bill. The tissue was examined by a pathologist and if it looked like it was all gone – case closed – if not get a little more tissue. In my case the surgeon explained that they wanted to preserve good tissue and was concerned about the scar. Well the surgeon was about 5’ nothing- I’m well over 6’. I explained to her that when she could see the top of my head then I would worry about a scar. I even asked her if she had a boat payment due – she does have a boat. Never did get an answer.
Now if a suspected area is on the tip of the nose, ear, or eyelid (yes eyelid) this Mohs process is the way to go – you need to preserve as much tissue as possible and make sure you get everything out. But on a target rich environment like the top of my head – didn’t make a lot of sense.

I would be interested if we have some Doc’s out there to chime in.

3pointstar

I have been the Mohs route in the past. If you have someone that knows what they're doing it's the way to go. In my case...I had six lesions biopsied...two came back Squamous and 4 Basal. I'm going after the head and face first where I have 2: Basals. Next we will move to the one on my right shoulder then one on each leg. I have already had one small Basal excised from my left cheek. The initial pathology was done by a Dermatologist that recommended a great Plastic Surgeon.

My Plastic Surgeon is taking this approach:: cut out a flap with decent margin around the largest of these things, then pull a section of skin off my thigh and graft it back in. These require general anesthesia due to the graft and must be done in a Surgical Outpatient Center. I had the first one of these done today. In his 35 years of doing this he is 99.9% positive that he is getting all of it and when he is finished the area looks as good as new.

Now to the money !!! I caught on to the BS some Dr's pull with this "Obamacare" crap insurance that will dime and dollar you to death. My deal with him is to bill this work to me at the "Medicare" Rate which is about a third of what he would normally charge back to an insurance company. This helps me out a bit on the deductible and co insurance. Once I satisfy that then Insurance kicks in at 100% and he can do what he will with the insurance company. Hopefully I won't get into too much $$$$ but he's helping me where he can. He told me he makes his real money on boob jobs, tummy tucks, face lifts and other un insurable elective cosmetic surgery.

I am also mostly bald on top and that's the first place to get burned !! Being of Scotch/Irish/Scandinavian heritage doesn't hep me much in this department either !!! LOL

Thanks for your thoughts and we'll keep working on it. I look at it like restoring an old car or boat....you cut out the bad, patch it up with donor material, re finish it and move on LOL

I can relate as I had one spot that was Melanoma on the back of my right shoulder removed about 18 months ago. Luckily it was on the lower end of the scale that they classify them. I also grew up back when Coppertone was the norm. Living up in Canada where we cover up for 6 months of the year and still see a dermatologist every 6 months and have spots burned off each time.So far no more major sports that need to be removed. Thank god for our health system all has been covered.

I also had skin problems,and I caught it in time.I have a daughter in the skin care business and she hooked me up with a sunscreen product called COOLA.iT'S NOT CHEAP BUT IT WORKS !

Yep. 52 now. Spent 30 years playing and working out in the boat in the sun here in SW Florida.

Got so sick of the sun the last year I was in business I was seriously considering putting a air conditioned pilot house on my parasail boat.

I went to a dermatologist for a little sore I had back in the day. She took one look at me and my sun bleached blonde hair and skin being darker and redder than a native Americanan Indian and African American combined and immediately asked me what I did to get like this.

I said I work on or n the water 12 hours a day. She was like "you have got to stop doing that". I laughed and left after she checked me.

But she left a lasting impression on me that I was slowly killing myself.


My family would always get on me being so tan or burned because they were from Michigan the land of no Sun

I would always tell them the way I was partying my Mind and my liver were in a race to see who would fail first , so skin cancer will have to catch up.

Never once did I think about my eyes being fried from all the sun now that I am older and half blind some days..

I'm an Aussie and Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. I'm 51 and have been going through many of these treatments for about 15 years now and I am not worried anymore.....

As a kid, my family spent all our holidays boating, skiing, and sun baking. As an adult, I continued to do the same and ignored the threat of sun damage to my skin. Around 15 years ago, I noticed a tiny skin tag on my forehead, I could scratch off easily and it left a little scab like a pimple. The scab would fall off and the little skin tag would re-appear. Went to the quack and had it removed, 5 stitches, basel cell carcinoma, all done. Fast forward to present day, I see a dermatologist 3-4 times a year and she burns, cuts, lasers a dozen similar spots every time.

I'm lucky I have only had Basel cell and Squamous cell carcinomas. If they are detected and treated, each one will pose no threat. If you let them go, they continue to grow UNDER the outer layer of skin and can increase in size considerably.

I said I'm not worried, sounds crazy but here we go...... Most of the damage was done 40+ years ago as a little kid when nobody knew better. Nothing can change that and if you're middle aged or older ( think that covers a lot of us ) keep an eye on any new or irregular sunspots, freckles or moles. As long as they are found and treated, you're doing all you can. The threat of the more severe melanoma is always present and like the op, I've been lucky enough to escape this one so far. Use sunblock and cover up, a tan may look healthy but trust me, it's not! Don't worry about what you can't control and take the worry out of what you can control by covering up.

Living in a hot climate now, I don't try for a suntan, my friends know I can get tanned any day of the week. I wear a shirt and a cap when boating. Swimming, I'll take off the shirt but usually keep the cap on. My legs and forearms are tanned because I wear shorts and t-shirts every day. The rest of me is quite pale by comparison. Prevention is the best cure of course so I do what I can to protect myself.

If you think this is all a bit overprotective and paranoid, go ahead and keep on tanning yourself, I couldn't care less but please look after your kids while they're still young and maybe they won't have to go through all the obstacles discussed here when they get older.

The old story about olive skin and darker skinned people not getting sunburnt? Skin cancers can grow and spread on skin regardless of pigmentation or ethnicity.

Good thread, safe boating in every respect!

RR

I'm 56 now.

At 40, I had a dark spot on my left foot taken off at my Doctors.

I thought nothing about it until they called a week later and lined me up with a Cancer Doc. There, he explained I had a Melanoma taken off and it was cancerous.

I was shocked to honest, I grew up in a time when your parents sent you out at 8am and as long as you were home for supper in the summertime all was good. There were after burn things like Solarcaine we used to put on but nobody ever wore sun block.

Anyway, at 40 have this Melanoma and up to Princess Margeret Hospital in Toronto I go to have a Sentinal Node Biopsy done. They remove the Lymph nodes in my left groin and find 2 out of 5 nodes have some cancer in them. I was thinking at the time, I'm screwed. I'm going to leave my wife and son way too early
.
They told me I would have about 5 years.

It is obvious by now that they were wrong.

I read several articles that even my diagnosis could have been wrong, but I do keep my ass out of the sun shine now and always have the bimini up on the boat and were a 45plus SPF. (kind like spreading thick paint on that stuff is, LOL!)

To all the young guys and girls out there.

Don't screw around. Wear a hat, slap on some sun screen and stay out of the sun when you can.

OK...had another surgery today with total anesthesia. I had a Basal Cell Carcinoma removed from my right cheek...surgery lasted just over an hour. I feel like I got hit by a truck !!

Well at least the damn thing is gone now.

Just another re-iteration and reminder to myself and others...paying my dues for too much exposure to the sun.

Damn this thing hurts !!! LOL

Stay covered up and wear Sunscreen !!

Hope you fell better soon Spink. Not one of the items on our bucket lists of thing to do but sometimes we don't get a choice. Things will get better.

Thanks for posting guys. It keeps the sunscreen application top of mind for me anyways. I'm as pale as rice, red headed and work inside of an underground complex. Hell, I even sneeze when I get out in the sun...

Derm apt. next week. I kind of look forward to it. My Dr. was a runway model through med school and I make sure to always have her check my feet. Not that there's anything wrong with my feet, its just a really great view :)

Thanks for your thoughts. I had another Basal taken off the front of my left thigh Wednesday (5/4) with a skin graft...general anesthesia again !! OK...just one more of thos e next week on right shoulder...then the rest are small enough to be excised with local deadening.

Damn it all...three General Anesthesia in 3: weeks is a serious energy zap !! I didn't think it would tire me out this much but live and learn. I'm a real Genuine Scar-face from last week !! This will heal though...I have a good Plastic Surgeon.

SUN SCREEN, SHIRTS AND HATS !!!

You guys are scaring me ... :eek:

good !!!

Wow OK My Turn. Age 61.

Houston, TX, born, raised, lived/boated/fished/waterskied/sun baked/swam/distance bicycling January - October every year. I began to be "smart enough" to put something on my face, SPF high as you could get at the time, since I was about 18. But all those years as a pale white kid with Finnish/German heritage and Beach Boy blonde hair has gotten to everywhere else. Shoulders, chest, back, and upper arms since age 25 when I had my first biopsy proven BCC (basal cell carcinoma) removed from just over the head of my left collar bone, with a "Z Plasty" that left a pretty good conversation piece. Then every 6 months to 2 years thereafter one of the above mentioned areas. Since about age 35 I really got serious about sunscreen and use only Coppertone Kids in the pink bottle or spray as my dermatologist said it is the best at blocking and staying effective after sweating or short dips to cool off. My wife or daughters know the ritual of slathering Daddy all over before we spray them with some sissy sht like Neutrogena Ultra Shear 50.

So last year I get some bleeding in my left ear when toweling off after a shower and I think I must have scraped my self with a fingernail, etc. It won't heal. I'm busy at work and wait for months, 6 to be exact before seeing the dermatologist. Of course - a BCC INSIDE my ear, that requires MOHS surgery to avoid a serious disfigurement. I thought all was well until - it CAME BACK. Now I need the plastic surgeon, because it has gone deep towards the cartilage and more MOHS surgery. Then, another on my ear on that little bump at the top of the earlobe. My ear!!! The dermatologist said oh yes, you only put sunscreen along the top and not on the inside of your ear. A common problem! Then another last month just behind the angle of my jaw on the left side, and yes he says, you forgot to put sunscreen there too. So now, I sunscreen and wear those long sleeve shirts the bass holes use around here with a hat not a visor but now I'm so damn old I wonder if it really makes any difference any more!!!

On Time...the one thing I realize is this skin cancer is as serious as any thing we deal with in boating...if not more so.It eventually affects all of us regardless of race, ethnic back ground or where we live.

Almost ten years ago I lost a good friend to lung cancer that was Squamous Cell Carcinoma that had metastasized from several lesions on his face and back that he ignored for years. He was an avid boater, South Florida Native and was on his boat every weekend. He made the Bahamas crossing from his water front home in Port Saint Lucie several times a year. SC took him at age 51...that one really hurt me....but it was a wake up call.

I just had another BCC cut off the front of my right shoulder this past Wednesday requiring a skin graft and General Anesthesia....the 4th one this month...and hopefully the last major. Anything else remaining can be done in the office with local anesthesia. I have casually met some interesting people in the waiting room...lots of boaters and we compare notes. Similar stories and experiences.

I hope a lot of guys read and think about this thing...it's serious $hit !! That being said I can only blame myself...looking back I have spent much more time and money keeping my boats up with wax and UV Protection for the interior, corrosion resistant coatings, bottom paint, etc....than I even thought about spending on protecting myself !!!

The more people that read this thread the better!!! Boating is a Family Sport and we always make sure that we have proper safety equipment on board and take responsibility for their well being and that of our guests as "Captains" of our vessels. We build confidence in those that are on our boats with our knowledge of boat handling, navigation and seamanship. Our knowledge makes them feel at ease.

I have made a pledge to myself to add Sun Protection a vital part of what I provide on my boat...just as much as that VHF Radio, water, flares, First Aid Kit, etc. If we take charge of our destiny regarding this Skin Cancer issue we can possibly save someone else from experiencing this Pain In The Ass later on.

After only 3 weeks this thread has had not quite 1000 views...which is damn good for a topic that we historically avoid !!!

Thanks for all the contributions to this thread!!

I'm starting to stock up on some of this stuff: http://www.sportfishingmag.com/bigfish-gear-shirts

Looking for anything you guys might recommend or have experience with.

Exactly. Spot on. I am an older Daddy and we now absolutely NEVER cut short our sunblock ritual before we go out even if it just for a short while. If a short ride is planned, I will use the easier stuff to apply like the Neutrogena Ultra Shear which is really quite comfortable. But our sweet little blonde daughters are being indoctrinated that going without sunblock is the identical thing as not wearing a seat belt in the car.

Thanks Sprink for this thread.

You are welcome !!

I used my COOLA yesterday ,organic and it stays out of your eyes.It's expensive,around $35 per but it's cheaper than medical issues ! I never heard of this product until my daughter gave me a tube..

I work outside all the time, in the summer I wear long SPF shirts and pants and an absurd looking wide brimmed hat. I look like an idiot. I don't care, I spent much of my life on the water with little to no protection, not to mention my work. I'm ok right now in my later 50s but I'm not fooling around...don't really give a hoot how stupid I look, better than the alternative.

July 25 7:00 AM, appt for MOHS surgery left ear for 2 separate areas, inside the ear and outside above earlobe. My MD says once it starts it doesn't stop just a routine of getting them treated every 6-12 mos.

The other thing I started was the hearing protection. Any ringing in the ears guys? Use ear plugs unless your windshield deflects the air up above your head.

Ringing in the ears? AKA Tinitus. Had it for about 12 years now and there's nothing you can do. It's a bit like that 2-3 hour period after seeing a rock concert and sitting in front of the speaker. You can hear a ringing sound and it never ends.

There is a couple of new pills in testing stages at the moment but as far as I know, nothing definite yet.

Cancer, deafness, what's next? Hope the old fella doesn't give up on me......

RR

Yes very similar to the rock concert effect. I will never forget an Anthrax concert in New Orleans in the 80's. Small venue, packed with people and girls, and absolutely unbelievably loud. Dance floor was in front of the stage. Ears rang for a full day afterwards and I kept rubbing them felt like I had cotton inside. Now I need to lean back behind the windshield in the Fountain but better yet wear my foam earplugs or I get more ringing.

So...my wife just happened to read your post with me and asked "What...??? Girls aren't people ?!"...LOL

I have considered hearing protection lately at concerts...most of the time they are distorted and over amplified...especially those indoor. My friend Jerry Gwynn...who is a retired AA Fuel NHRA Champion told me after all the years drag racing he always wears hearing protection when he is running offshore.

I asked Tommy Hoffstetter one day at his shop after a Dyno Test why he doesn't wear "Muffs" when he's running an engine up. His reply was "What...???" LOL:evilb:

Tell her yes, the best kind! And I guess my head was distinguishing between all the generic people, and then, the GIRLS

Roger that...

Another update...I'm taking a break from anything requiring "Skin Grafts" and everything is healing nicely. I have had 5: surgeries in five weeks, 3 of which required Skin Grafts. Skin Grafts can be INCREDIBLY painful as they heal!!

I had 3: small biopsies yesterday...awaiting results. The pathology on everything that has been done so far shows 100% clear margins...whew !!

With Memorial Day weekend upon us I again am sacrificing a great boating weekend due to ongoing recovery from my numerous surgeries. I can't risk getting any of these areas wet until completely healed...so my boat will be on the trailer inside my warehouse.

This is the kick off for the summer in most parts of the country (just another 3 day weekend for us in South Florida) and all those pale, pasty bodies will be exposed to the sun for the first time in 6 or more months !!

Just a reminder...in addition to the normal stuff we always do...PFD's, Extinguishers, First Aid Kits, Extra Dock Lines, etc....make sure EVERYBODY on board gets at least a 30 second Sun Screen/Protection lecture.

Your family and guest will appreciate it deep down inside knowing that you care enough about their safety and comfort to make sure they understand.

Feel free to use me and what I'm going thru as an example if you wish as to what can and will happen over time.

Have a great holiday weekend...get out there and have fun, be safe...and try not to get burned up !!! LOL

John

Got the tinitis thing, wore the foam ear plugs right up to the time I sold the PP, they worked great. Wear them all day now on the construction site.

REmember..Sunscreen stops sunburns but not skin cancer...Cover...

I am 49 and just had my 2nd BCC removed...

Im 52 and going under the knife again tomorrow to remove skin cancer on my chest..Cover up

Well...I'm at home recovering from surgery number 5...that's 5 skin grafts requiring general anesthesia since early April !!!

This was for 3: BC's on my right shin. Hopefully this takes care of this $hit for a while !!! I have to stay off my feet and keep my right leg elevated for two weeks !!

Lesson Learned !!!

Sprink - Just saw this thread again. Hope all is going well. I just went through my second to remove a spot from my inner ear lobe and they took a skin graft off the side of my neck. Only a local freezing but not the most comfortable think to go through. Looked a little weird for about 3 weeks while it healed but who cares.

Like others have said we need to look after ourselves but also our children. I think what I have gone through has opened up my sons eyes a bit to make sure he puts on sunblock. My daughter has always covered up as she is very fair skinned and had sun burns when younger. Both are over 25 so I think they understand the consequences.

Have gone through the hearing issues over the years also between boats and every type of gas powered tool I could have now wear protection. The only good thing is you can get away with ignoring the wife every once in a while and blame it on your poor hearing. LOL.

I have that too and keep headphones in the boat now.

I am on at least my 12-15th basal cell removal. All are now done by a dermatology plastic surgeon so don't look too bad...dang Northern European ancestry gave me my striking good looks but sure sensitive to the sun :thankyouthankyou: and we sure have a lot of it down here between hurricanes. I never fail to use sunblock when I go out now and use a hat with ear flaps when not underway.

Just glad my genes have the tan gene! But still, I protect myself from the sun by wearing long sleeves and pants and a hat. Might look like a tourist but at least I got nothing to worry about!

I was quite surprised when I went to my dermatologist for a check. I had no idea it was going to be like a prison intake search complete with spread your cheeks . **** ....and she was was one of my longtime customers moving my sack around.

Two more gone. I now get every 3 mos. full body exam. At least you have a girl doing the cheek and sack thing....

Should be good for a while now. Thank God none of the surgeries were disfiguring or easily noticeable. Now, on with the purchase of that new Bay house to complement the Lake house...