The Triathlon Rx

Well I said life was good, but I never said it wasn’t busy!!

A lot has gone down over the last week or so, so I’ll try and give you a brief rundown because we have important stuff to talk about today!

• School is DONE for the year, and let me sing it to ya one more time… ♪ ALLELUIA ♪

• Regarding the Pediatric Exercise class that I debating, they decided to also offer it during J-Term – ie the unreasonably long 4+ week break we have in the middle of winter. What’s a girl who strongly dislikes cold and snow but living in Minnesota to do? Snuggle up in lecture and learn about pediatric exercise concepts and applications. A much better solution than summer school.
• We had 12 straight  days of rainy, below average temperatures here in the Mini-Apple – ie nearly the same number of days where I was without work! ie a slowly declining bank account. I don’t shop, but a girl’s gotta eat!
• The last three days of GLORIOUS weather, and according to my guy Chris Shaffer, another solid 5 days to come! I think that Sunday storm is a little too out far to bank on…

Ohh gee, look how convenient that was. All this weather talk is a great segue to what I’m really here to talk about today! If you missed the title of the post, that would be…

SUN PROTECTION + KINESYS REVIEW

If you haven’t noticed, I happen to be a fair skinned, red-headed, easily burning chica. I don’t know if I ever get “tan” … or if my freckles just eventually all blend together. No, not Irish (though people love to fight me on that one…), I am definitely on the “higher” end of being at risk for skin cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, my favorite go-to source for most all things health, risk factors for skin cancer include:

• Fair skin. Having less pigment (melanin) in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair, light-colored eyes, and you freckle or sunburn easily, you’re much more likely to develop skin cancer than is a person with darker features.
• A history of sunburns. Every time you get sunburned, you damage your skin cells and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. After a sunburn, your body works to repair the damage. Having multiple blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor.
• Excessive sun exposure. Anyone who spends considerable time in the sun may develop skin cancer, especially if your skin isn’t protected by sunscreen or clothing. Tanning also puts you at risk. A tan is your skin’s injury response to excessive UV radiation.
• Sunny or high-altitude climates. People who live in sunny, warm climates are exposed to more sunlight than are people who live in colder climates. Living at higher elevations, where the sunlight is strongest, also exposes you to more radiation.
• Moles. People who have many moles or abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi are at increased risk of skin cancer. These abnormal moles — which look irregular and are generally larger than normal moles — are more likely than others to become cancerous. If you have a history of abnormal moles, watch them regularly for changes.
• Precancerous skin lesions. Having skin lesions known as actinic keratoses can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. These precancerous skin growths typically appear as rough, scaly patches that range in color from brown to dark pink. They’re most common on the face, lower arms and hands of fair-skinned people whose skin has been sun damaged.
• A family history of skin cancer. If one of your parents or a sibling has had skin cancer, you may be at increased risk of the disease. Some families are affected by a condition called familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. The hallmarks of FAMMM include a history of melanoma in one or more close relatives and having more than 50 moles — some of which are atypical. Because people with this syndrome have an extremely high risk of developing melanoma, frequent screening for signs of skin cancer is crucial.
• A personal history of skin cancer. If you developed skin cancer once, you’re at risk of developing it again. Even basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas that have been successfully removed can recur in the same spot, often within two to three years.
• A weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing skin cancer. This includes people living with HIV/AIDS or leukemia and those taking immunosuppressant drugs after an organ transplant.
• Fragile skin. Skin that has been burned, injured or weakened by treatments for other skin conditions is more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer. Certain psoriasis treatments and eczema creams might increase your risk of skin cancer.
• Exposure to environmental hazards. Exposure to environmental chemicals, including some herbicides, increases your risk of skin cancer.
• Age. The risk of developing skin cancer increases with age, primarily because many skin cancers develop slowly. The damage that occurs during childhood or adolescence may not become apparent until middle age. Still, skin cancer isn’t limited to older people. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are increasing fastest among women younger than 40.

-SOURCE-

My risk factors?

Fair skinned. Red hair. Excessive sun exposure.  Moles. Precancerous skin lesions. A family history of skin cancer. A personal history of skin cancer.

What about you?

You read those last two right… both my mom and I have had skin cancer spots removed. She is almost identical to me in that our risk factors are the same. We also are both (obviously…) runners, spending a many many hours out in the sun. Coincidence? Maybe… maybe not. We are both pretty adamant about using sunscreen, so it makes me wonder if it’s almost inevitable? I don’t know. Fortunately, we both had basal cell carcinoma spots – the most common form of nonmelanoma skin cancer, the least likely to spread, and the easiest to treat. They’re rarely fatal, but they can cause serious damage if they aren’t removed, so it’s a good thing my mom and I regularly are screened.

SCREENINGS! Super important. And luckily, readily available and affordable. Since 1985, the American Academy of Dermatology has partnered with dermatologists across the nation to offer FREE skin cancer screenings. According to their website, they have detected more than 188,000 suspicious lesions, including 21,500 suspected melanomas.

Ready for photos? Sorry for awkward angles… I had to sit on the table in front of a camera to get these. Oh the things I go through for you…

That big ol’ shiny canoe shaped mark in the center of my back would be my super attractive reminder that protecting your skin is muy importante. There actually was once a birth mark there, circular in shape, and roughly the size of a quarter dollar (I don’t know if they even still make those…) pepperoni slice. The first screening I had, around the age of 12 or 13, we decided to “keep an eye on it” … I was already having two suspicious spots taken out of my arm, and if we weren’t sure about this one on my back, we weren’t going to take it since it was so big. A year later it was deemed as “hiiiighly suspect” (Ratatoulle? Anyone?) and decided it had to go. So October 14th, 2003, I went under general anesthesia for the first time (let me tell you, that’s a trip…). Went out on my back, woke up on my stomach with a tube down my throat and a crick from hell in my neck, and without my dear mark of birth. But also without any cancer nasties! Erika: 1. Sun cancer: 0.

So that’s the story. Since that time, I have been a better advocate for my own health. As a young punk girl, I used to fight back when my mom asked me to put on sunscreen. It wasn’t “cool” … everyone else got tan and I got greasy white greasy marks on my face during softball practice. Back then, Coppertone was still working on that whole rubbing-in factor.

While there is still that desire to get some “color” on my skin – no one likes to blind the other runners at the lake – I definitely understand how important it is now to protect my skin. I’ve tried SO many different sunscreens in the past. Oh lord.. if you could only see the medicine cabinet! Copportone, Nutragena, Aveeno, you name it, and probably one of every possible SPF in there too. But one early summer day about four years ago, I was at a sample sale held by a neighborhood guy  (who happened to manage a very cool running store). Among all the other goodies there, I stumbled on a table with a bunch of blue bottles. Cool looking bottles. That happened to contain a very cool product…

Kinesys sunscreen

Now here’s my full upfront disclosure – Kinesys did send me several products to try out, but that was most definitely not my first encounter with their products. My little story up there is not a “story” – I truthfully have been using Kinesys for the last 4 years. Why? Well let me tell you…

Kinesys sunscreens come in convenient spray bottles (not aerosols either, mind you…) that allow you to get your SPF’n on hands-free. Well, obviously not hands-free, since you have to spray it. But rubbing in? Not required. Which leads to no greasy hands. Which leads to no excuses when you drop that fly-ball during softball, because your hands were dry as ever, and your hand-eye coordination just plainly sucks. Kidding on that last part…. These are the reasons why Kinesys has (and will continue to have!) my loyalty:

• more sweat resistant than any other product I’ve tried. sunscreen + sweat + eyes = PAIN!
• oil free /alcohol free
• sprays on
• doesn’t dry out your skin, and conversely…
• … it’s not heavy, oily or greasy
• they offer unscented and scented products
• they offer a sunscreen STICK for face, lips, etc.

Kinesys has a good FAQ page on their website that sucked in my last 20 minutes! I’ve just been browsing through, and I want to share three of the questions that I think are particularly important.

Q: Are products higher than SPF 15 really necessary?

A: Yes. Although a SPF 15 is effective in providing sun protection, some people require greater levels of protection. High SPF products block more UVB and UVA rays which penetrate the skin deeply, and are relatively consistent year round. UVA can contribute to premature aging, wrinkling and pre-cancerous changes. These products also provide protection for longer periods of time (for those who work outside or participate in prolonged outdoor activities.) Many dermatologists recommend regular use of a high SPF sunscreen to prevent sunburn and reduce the amount of sun damage caused by unprotected exposure. Research estimates that regular use of highly protective sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) for the first 18 years of life could reduce the incidence of certain types of pre-cancerous changes by nearly 80%.

___________________________

Q: Is it possible to get burned on a cloudy day?

A: Yes. Sunlight penetrates clouds. Daylight gets through and so do 70-80 percent of the sun’s damaging rays. In fact, many people get the worst burn of their lives on cloudy days because they have not used sunscreens.

___________________________

Q: What is incidental sun exposure?

A: Most people are concerned about the damage caused by direct solar exposure from sunbathing or intense periods of exposure. However, dermatologists recognize that incidental sun exposure from activities such as jogging, walking, and gardening is cumulative and can cause significant skin damage. This is why dermatologists recommend year round sunscreen protection.

This last one is targeted at all of you my athletes!! Sunscreen is NOT just for when you’re going to “lay out” at the lake, on your beach towel, or by the pool! It seems like such an obvious statement (because it is), but you are being exposed to the suns rays no matter what your activity is. Be it jogging, working out in the garden, out on a ride, etc… you can do damage to your skin whether your intent is to work on your tan or not! So whatever sunscreen you choose to use, I’m challenging all of you guys to get that SPF on there EVERY TIME before you head out the door!

Arighty, time to wrap! As usual, my questions for you readers!

• What is your favorite kind of sunscreen?
• Be honest… do you really put it on every time you’re headed out? I know I don’t, but I’m working on it!
• What are your risk factors? Are you surprised?

Hope everyone has a lovely day! It is a glorious, sunny, hot day here in minneapolis, and I have the day off of work! But it’s jam-packed with OUTDOOR activities, so I promise, I will be sunscreenin it up before I leave, and probably reapplying throughout the day! Hasta luego muchachos!

-E

p.s. I’m trying to clean up the tags/categories at the moment, so please excuse the chaos in the meantime!