Fighting Skin Cancer
No, this is not me.
*Scroll down to see some more recent posts.
I moved to Hawaii in 1981 to enjoy the sun and surf. Several years of unprotected surfing has left me with sun damaged skin. Here are two things to remember about sun exposure.
1. Sun damage to the skin is like the odometer on your car; accumulative and irreversible.
2. There is no such thing as a healthy tan.
Jay Grekin, dermatologist extraordinaire, and my good friend of many years suggested that I undergo this Blu Light with Levulan treatment. It is a week long procedure that burns away layers of skin, while identifying and destroying keratoses (pre skin cancer lesions) that lie beneath the skin waiting to erupt into skin cancer.
Dr. Grekin said that besides the skin cancer removal that the treatment will make me look 10 years younger, and I am going to hold him to that.
I plan to stay indoors for the next few days. I can’t shave and I don’t look good.
I will post the progress in the photo bar to the left as a reminder to those of you still surfing to be careful. Also for those of you that already have the sun damage to see how this works on me.
August 28th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Ron, it’s good of you to share this. Best wishes. Will we recognize you?
August 28th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Ron that looks very painful and I do hope it helps. I know you have struggled with skin cancer issues for awhile.
Your problems have have helped others though. I used to go outside to cut wood, work in the yard, tend my flowers, etc and not think anything about it. After talking to you, I now put on sunscreen first. Thank you fo that!
August 29th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
“Your problems have have helped others though.”
Thank you Tammy. Needless to say posting these photos required putting my ego in my back pocket in the interest of helping others learn about the dangers of the sun (especially here in Hawaii).
August 30th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
But where is your smile in those photos? Were you trying to look unhappy?
August 31st, 2007 at 2:42 am
“But where is your smile in those photos?”
Pam: I guess I was going for “serious”. Either that or it’s the pain and drugs. In either case the smile will surely return at the end of this procedure.
June 19th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Sunblocks can also reduce the incidence of skin cancer by preventing UV to harm your skin.`.`
September 27th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
skin cancer is rarer than colon cancer but just as deadly”.~
October 13th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
skin cancer is preventable, just use sunblock and also take lots of anti-oxidants”*,
November 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
I am into my second day of this treatment and my face is so red I was frightened until I saw your photo from day three. Thanks for sharing it made me feel better. The key is frequent checks by your Dr.
I have surfed all over the world in severe sun and worked on the ocean for a few years as I am the epidomy of an ocean lover. Also a triathlete for 20 years, so I want to reply to those who think sunblock is the cure all. I wore sunblock and zinc oxide re-aplying often every two hours, hats, polarized sunglasses and rash guards ect…being fair, blonde and blue eyed one already has three strikes against them. Actinic keratoses can be aquired by simply walking your dog or getting the mail for 40 years.
December 22nd, 2010 at 10:14 am
well, skin cancer incidence would be increasing because of the hole on the ozone layer ;.;