SKIN Health & Cancer Prevention
Lather Sunblock On Whilst Being Naked!
After a bad biopsy report, I needed to have a part of my skin completely removed a little later than the biopsy, by my skin doctor; they took a little and then a lot. I just had a part of my skin always covered by a sports bra removed, because of sun exposure. Now there is just a little one inch scar next to my spine, where my sports bra fabric normally falls upon whilst being out-and-about on a run during marathon season. At first, I felt weird about taking skin from around my bony spine, because it does not feel like there is a lot skin there, but there is. Do you ever wonder how much skin is between the outer surface and bone? How deep are we cutting?! We had to think about it for a while, I will admit this freaked me out a lot at first. A wave overcame my body thinking about it, which made me freeze and phone my parents and aunt to inquire what exactly to do, in order to fix my unhealthy skin. Plus, my parents and aunt are on my list of medical personnel or confidants, to choose medical procedures for me if I cannot form a decision all by myself; I have a dream team choose for me sometimes. I am lucky to have an aunt who spoils me with whatever medical things I need in the location of my choice, there for me during my heart and now my skin, hopefully next time the issue will be less dramatic or a positive stress. All in all, that wave of nervousness has turned into a wave of relief after having my procedure done this week. This was literally the only place on my back that never had sunscreen, because my sports-bra was always on before applying my sunscreen before going on a run. My skin was exposed to the sun, even while my sports bra was covering that particular part of my back.
Thankfully, we took care of my damaged skin in a timely manner, I have a very excellent PA and nurse, and I did not even need a plastic surgeon visit to Dr. Locastro as I was considering. The worst thing that could have happened was going to visit my cool aunt in Rochester to see her doctor at Strong Hospital, but I did not even need to make the drive, because everyone right here is Syracuse is perfect. A lot of debate goes into making medical decisions. There are special stitches on the inside and outside of my skin, so everything will heal nicely. Music was playing in the background of some simultaneous friendly conversation all while removing my skin that was damaged from sun exposure, right around my bony spine. The only procedure part that made me nervous was the sound of the cauterizing to stop bleeding, but it really was not that bad, and I felt nothing but pressure. I was completely numb during the procedure with lidocaine injections, and five hours later some ibuprofen with a glass of red wine did the trick for my slight discomfort around the stitches. Fun fact, in six weeks the inside stitches will completely dissolve, like magic. My support system is very professional and excellent when finding solutions to my medical milestones through life. Everyone endures medical milestones through life, it is normal, but you just have to be happy to find the solution and live your life simultaneously.
I will probably be walking a lot in the next several weeks so my stitches do not break, fingers crossed that I do not pop my stitches while exercising! All my shoes are slide-on style to wear on my two pre-procedure-pedicured marathon runner feet, I will go without bending down tying laces for the next two weeks. If I need to bend, I will definitely try to remind myself to bend my knees, not flex my back and arms to the floor. Happy to work from my laptop, so I can just wear my cozy Pottery Barn bathrobe all the time, there is no need for a real shirt, at least for these first two days post-procedure of course. My chihuahuas need to use the puppy steps to nap on my bed, because those chunky animals will not be lifted up by me for two weeks while these stitches heal correctly. The chihuahua’s napping standards are really the biggest concern through all of this experience. I suppose my birthday present to myself this year is not needing to worry about having damaged skin from sun exposure, because we took it all off yesterday.
This marathon runner highly recommends going to have your entire body screened by a dermatologist, just get naked and say ‘yes’ immediately to your biopsy option. The back is just as important as the front. I wish someone had told me young, to put all my sunscreen on before my clothes, especially before a run. I always thought that because my sports bra covered that part of my back that I was safe from UV rays, however that is not the case. Overall, now that the issue is taken care of, I really have nothing to worry about, it is not a problem. On the regular, my reason to not have pain medication or avoidance of going under sometimes is, my heart rate and blood pressure drops very low when pain medication is administered. There is a medical reason by my medical doctor with a specialization and years of practicing modern medicine for me to not have pain medication sometimes, resulting from the history of my heart rate drop and low blood pressure exposing my body to an at risk state; gratefully this procedure was pain free with lidocaine injections to the incision site. On a side note, birth control can make your skin sensitive to the sun too. The scariest thing in my family’s life was when my grandfather’s skin cancer spread to the nodes, and thankfully that is not the issue that I am enduring, everything is fine not to worry. My grandfather really did not have modern day sunscreen in the majority of his lifetime, and having sunscreen for prevention makes a very big difference, sunscreen helps keep your skin healthy. I just missed that one spot on my back when applying my sunscreen. Learn from this girl and lather on your sunblock whilst being naked, before putting on the cute outfit for a run!
P.S. After two days, I went from my bathrobe to real clothes, showered, looked in the mirror, switched bandages and feel perfectly fine post procedure!
Here are some great articles about nice sunscreen, and only if you like it spray tan options!
https://www.prevention.com/beauty/skin-care/g20174383/best-sunscreens/
https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/makeup/g1794/best-self-tanners/
Run In The Sun Safely!
I can still run outside in the sun! Lather on the sunscreen before putting on your sports bra, and running out the door! I can wear KT Tape or a bandaid over than spot in a race and no one will say anything derogatory to me, they’ll probably just go out and buy some KT Tape and bandages. Happy to be in an athletic circle, where no one thinks having scars is a bad thing. I’ll put on an open-back dress, around my circle, and everyone will think I look fine even with my hair in an updo. Despite it all, I think that I can still wear open-back dresses out, sports bras running, and look absolutely fabulous. In the meantime, I just need to focus on not popping out my plastic surgeon style stitches Melissa spent such an extra long time perfecting.
Horizontal KT Tape on your back, underneath the sports-bra, is the latest and greatest in fashion of athletics. It’ll stay on and keep the sun away better than zink itself, covering up for the right reasons.
I wouldn’t break-up with me over it…now I have a mirror I need to look into whilst recovering from stitches too! Looking in the mirror all day, everyday, now. :) The mirror is helpful, but being that I have a long line of stitches in the center of my back, my mom is helping me dress the wound, and put the bandages on. Clearly the middle of my back is hard for me to reach.
Positive Affirmation Mirror Stickers!
I love love love, positive affirmation mirror decal! This is a marvelous investment for a time you may be going through a physical change, or just desire the first words you read everyday in the mirror to be splendid. On a side note, I really wish more physical therapists incorporated positive affirmation mirror decal in treatment programs of recovery from significant injuries. These are very helpful vinyl stickers to possess. A friendly reminder, you never stop being who you are no matter what physical obstacles you endure and recover from impressively, everything you overcome in life just makes you become even better than ever. Looking in the mirror should always be a beautiful experience for everyone.
You can make applying sunblock a calming and relaxing experience, by applying the concepts of self massage. Instead of a holistic warm oil, use a nourishing sunscreen. Taking the time to apply sunscreen, can also be a time of practicing mindfulness and becoming ready for a glorious day. Applying sunscreen enables a healthful lifestyle and may help prevent skin cancer significantly. Calm and relax your nervous system whilst lathering on your sunscreen. Use nourishing sunscreen in the morning, and nourishing warm oils at nightime. I tried this for the first time in a yoga seminar one summer back in the day, and it is very nice. When you learn how to apply lotion in an enticing way, it becomes an experience to look forward to, rather than a chore. Finding special styles to apply my moisturizer or sunscreen, motivated me to stay in my regimen day in and day out. There are ways to make putting on the spf feel very nice, a pleasure. For instance set aside ten minutes, and be pensive of the soothing ways to apply lotion to your face and neck liberally every morning. Anytime you feel stress, good or bad, take three deep calming relaxing breathes.
This video is very informative, it’s great to watch if you are interested in learning more about skin cancer and prevention. Dr. Kwan’s lecture is awesome if you have a chance to take a look.