The weather is heating up here in Austin. Aside from the fact that I need to figure out where the heck my summer clothes are stored in my closet, I need to remember to also put sunscreen on areas that haven’t been exposed to the sun in a long time. This is a problem for me because I am rarely coherent in the mornings.
But since I do have a big scar on my knee, I have to remember to put sunscreen on. From what I’ve read, UV rays can make a scar look more pronounced. Since I will want to run around in cute skirts in the coming months, and maybe even a pair of shorts, I probably should do whatever I need to do to try to make that scar less noticeable.
And I should probably get into the habit of putting sunscreen on any exposed skin before walking out of the condo. I made melanoma. Was it because I was good about slathering sunscreen on my face, but not on my legs when I was out running around? I walk to work. Sure, it’s a 10-15 minute walk each way, but in South Texas, that’s a long time to be under the strong sun every day. I sit near a window in my office. I’m not sure how much UV protection that window gives me.
I love the fact that the weather is getting warmer and it feels like Spring time. But it is a new reality for me that this is the first warm weather season since my melanoma diagnosis. It is a new reality that I have to get used to. And it seems like I need to get into some new habits to make sure to protect my skin so I don’t give my body any additional reasons to grow more melanoma.
Don’t be too hard on yourself! I always think about the melanoma on the soles of the feet or the palms – no sun exposure there! And the legs is the most common melanoma site for females. Enjoy the spring 🙂
Thanks Sam! It’s so weird to remember as I’m throwing on shorts that I need to also slap on sunscreen every time, even if I think I’m going to be outside for just a few minutes… Plus, I want that scar to fade!!