newly diagnosed

Sorry you had to find us here.  Good thing you caught things early!

As for sunscreen….  Sunscreen isn't going to prevent a recurrence.  So what you are trying to do is protect yourself against another melanoma primary (about 10% of melanoma warriors have more than one) and the other skin cancers.  While the other cancers aren't typically as deadly as melanoma, they can be quite disfiguring.  So, should you wear sunscreen every time you step out in the sun?  That is truly a personal choice.  Some definitely have on sunscreen all the time.  Personally, I'm not a big fan of sunscreen.  So I tend to use more clothing — just less greasy.  So, I've been stage IB for 20+ years with multiple primaries (genetic defect is the cause, not just sun exposure in my case).  Anyway, I don't put on sunscreen for a quick outside visit.  If it is very bright/hot/high UV exposure times, then I make sure that I get ZERO color.  I don't think a little UV exposure (remember, no color) is a bad deal.  For me, it's the difference between living WITH a melanoma diagnosis versus letting melanoma define everything I do.  Moderation.  No color. Enjoy life! 

Sorry you had to find us here.  Good thing you caught things early!

As for sunscreen….  Sunscreen isn't going to prevent a recurrence.  So what you are trying to do is protect yourself against another melanoma primary (about 10% of melanoma warriors have more than one) and the other skin cancers.  While the other cancers aren't typically as deadly as melanoma, they can be quite disfiguring.  So, should you wear sunscreen every time you step out in the sun?  That is truly a personal choice.  Some definitely have on sunscreen all the time.  Personally, I'm not a big fan of sunscreen.  So I tend to use more clothing — just less greasy.  So, I've been stage IB for 20+ years with multiple primaries (genetic defect is the cause, not just sun exposure in my case).  Anyway, I don't put on sunscreen for a quick outside visit.  If it is very bright/hot/high UV exposure times, then I make sure that I get ZERO color.  I don't think a little UV exposure (remember, no color) is a bad deal.  For me, it's the difference between living WITH a melanoma diagnosis versus letting melanoma define everything I do.  Moderation.  No color. Enjoy life! 

Sorry you had to find us here.  Good thing you caught things early!

As for sunscreen….  Sunscreen isn't going to prevent a recurrence.  So what you are trying to do is protect yourself against another melanoma primary (about 10% of melanoma warriors have more than one) and the other skin cancers.  While the other cancers aren't typically as deadly as melanoma, they can be quite disfiguring.  So, should you wear sunscreen every time you step out in the sun?  That is truly a personal choice.  Some definitely have on sunscreen all the time.  Personally, I'm not a big fan of sunscreen.  So I tend to use more clothing — just less greasy.  So, I've been stage IB for 20+ years with multiple primaries (genetic defect is the cause, not just sun exposure in my case).  Anyway, I don't put on sunscreen for a quick outside visit.  If it is very bright/hot/high UV exposure times, then I make sure that I get ZERO color.  I don't think a little UV exposure (remember, no color) is a bad deal.  For me, it's the difference between living WITH a melanoma diagnosis versus letting melanoma define everything I do.  Moderation.  No color. Enjoy life! 

Hi Mark,

Sorry about your dx but glad you caught it early.  Hopefully all will be well from here on out. 

Regarding sunscreen, really depends on what time of day you are walking to work and where you live.  Generally it's a good idea for folks to get 15-20 minutes of unprotected sun in the early morning or late afternoon just to get your quota of Vit. D.  But if your fair skinned like I am you may opt for vitamins as I do.  I prefer to wear SPF 55 all the time.  So as Janner said it's a personal choice. 

Good Luck,

Mary

Stage 3

Hi Mark,

Sorry about your dx but glad you caught it early.  Hopefully all will be well from here on out. 

Regarding sunscreen, really depends on what time of day you are walking to work and where you live.  Generally it's a good idea for folks to get 15-20 minutes of unprotected sun in the early morning or late afternoon just to get your quota of Vit. D.  But if your fair skinned like I am you may opt for vitamins as I do.  I prefer to wear SPF 55 all the time.  So as Janner said it's a personal choice. 

Good Luck,

Mary

Stage 3

Hi Mark,

Sorry about your dx but glad you caught it early.  Hopefully all will be well from here on out. 

Regarding sunscreen, really depends on what time of day you are walking to work and where you live.  Generally it's a good idea for folks to get 15-20 minutes of unprotected sun in the early morning or late afternoon just to get your quota of Vit. D.  But if your fair skinned like I am you may opt for vitamins as I do.  I prefer to wear SPF 55 all the time.  So as Janner said it's a personal choice. 

Good Luck,

Mary

Stage 3

I am fair skinned and my 2 primaries were almost certainly sun damage (as well as 5 basal cell carcinomas). FWIW my most consistently used protection is a wide-ish brimmed hat. My hat of choice for awhile has been exofficio's "BugsAway Adventure Hat" — not the widest brimmed out there but has been good all-around hat and UPF 30. The compromise I make on sunscreen when i am rigorous is to apply on my neck (particularly sides) to catch the skin region least protected by hat. Which is where one of my primaris was. For awhile I wore sticky sunscreen on my face every day but latey I'm tired of the constant thin layer of gunk. If I were to go to a sporting event, say, or some other long outdoor activity, especially mid-day, I would gunk up though.  

I am fair skinned and my 2 primaries were almost certainly sun damage (as well as 5 basal cell carcinomas). FWIW my most consistently used protection is a wide-ish brimmed hat. My hat of choice for awhile has been exofficio's "BugsAway Adventure Hat" — not the widest brimmed out there but has been good all-around hat and UPF 30. The compromise I make on sunscreen when i am rigorous is to apply on my neck (particularly sides) to catch the skin region least protected by hat. Which is where one of my primaris was. For awhile I wore sticky sunscreen on my face every day but latey I'm tired of the constant thin layer of gunk. If I were to go to a sporting event, say, or some other long outdoor activity, especially mid-day, I would gunk up though.  

I am fair skinned and my 2 primaries were almost certainly sun damage (as well as 5 basal cell carcinomas). FWIW my most consistently used protection is a wide-ish brimmed hat. My hat of choice for awhile has been exofficio's "BugsAway Adventure Hat" — not the widest brimmed out there but has been good all-around hat and UPF 30. The compromise I make on sunscreen when i am rigorous is to apply on my neck (particularly sides) to catch the skin region least protected by hat. Which is where one of my primaris was. For awhile I wore sticky sunscreen on my face every day but latey I'm tired of the constant thin layer of gunk. If I were to go to a sporting event, say, or some other long outdoor activity, especially mid-day, I would gunk up though.  

Hello Mark, you've asked a good question.  It is a personal choice as the relationship between sun exposure as an adult and melanoma is not entirely clear.  However, it is very important to not be low in vitamin D and the best source of vitamin D is the sun.  I choose to not wear sunscreen at all as I do not want those chemicals being absorbed by my skin.  I enjoy about 10 minutes of sunlight on my bare arms and legs each day if I can, the rest of the time i keep coverd up outside to avoid sunburn (big hat, long sleeves, pants).  Good luck and I'm very glad for you that you caught this so early!

Maggie

Hello Mark, you've asked a good question.  It is a personal choice as the relationship between sun exposure as an adult and melanoma is not entirely clear.  However, it is very important to not be low in vitamin D and the best source of vitamin D is the sun.  I choose to not wear sunscreen at all as I do not want those chemicals being absorbed by my skin.  I enjoy about 10 minutes of sunlight on my bare arms and legs each day if I can, the rest of the time i keep coverd up outside to avoid sunburn (big hat, long sleeves, pants).  Good luck and I'm very glad for you that you caught this so early!

Maggie

Hello Mark, you've asked a good question.  It is a personal choice as the relationship between sun exposure as an adult and melanoma is not entirely clear.  However, it is very important to not be low in vitamin D and the best source of vitamin D is the sun.  I choose to not wear sunscreen at all as I do not want those chemicals being absorbed by my skin.  I enjoy about 10 minutes of sunlight on my bare arms and legs each day if I can, the rest of the time i keep coverd up outside to avoid sunburn (big hat, long sleeves, pants).  Good luck and I'm very glad for you that you caught this so early!

Maggie

Mark – I had a melanoma removed in 2010 – at 0.35 mm very similar to yours. On sunscreen, the medical advice I was given was that it would have little impact on the recurrence of melanoma but it does reduce the risk of other skin cancers. I live in a very sunny place and so, for the first few months, I applied sunscreen every morning and no matter how much care I took it would make its way to my eyes, which is not fun. I also avoided going out in the sun. These days I’m more relaxed and only put on sunscreen if I know I am going to be in the outside for a prolonged period and I regularly go out without sunscreen early in the morning or late afternoon. The psychology of an early stage melanoma is complex and it’s too easy to let it dominate your thoughts. The good news is that time helps put it all into perspective – Good luck with whatever you decide to do.   Robert

Mark – I had a melanoma removed in 2010 – at 0.35 mm very similar to yours. On sunscreen, the medical advice I was given was that it would have little impact on the recurrence of melanoma but it does reduce the risk of other skin cancers. I live in a very sunny place and so, for the first few months, I applied sunscreen every morning and no matter how much care I took it would make its way to my eyes, which is not fun. I also avoided going out in the sun. These days I’m more relaxed and only put on sunscreen if I know I am going to be in the outside for a prolonged period and I regularly go out without sunscreen early in the morning or late afternoon. The psychology of an early stage melanoma is complex and it’s too easy to let it dominate your thoughts. The good news is that time helps put it all into perspective – Good luck with whatever you decide to do.   Robert

Mark – I had a melanoma removed in 2010 – at 0.35 mm very similar to yours. On sunscreen, the medical advice I was given was that it would have little impact on the recurrence of melanoma but it does reduce the risk of other skin cancers. I live in a very sunny place and so, for the first few months, I applied sunscreen every morning and no matter how much care I took it would make its way to my eyes, which is not fun. I also avoided going out in the sun. These days I’m more relaxed and only put on sunscreen if I know I am going to be in the outside for a prolonged period and I regularly go out without sunscreen early in the morning or late afternoon. The psychology of an early stage melanoma is complex and it’s too easy to let it dominate your thoughts. The good news is that time helps put it all into perspective – Good luck with whatever you decide to do.   Robert