PSA: Skin

Discussion in 'Health' started by mike, Jul 27, 2016.


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?

  1. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    If you have pigment, nothing to see here. If you lack it and/or have been reeely bad to your skin like lots of us pre-awareness fossils who thought frying in the sun was okay to do...


    I was reminded yesterday at the dermatologist that using sunscreen and staying covered are effective ways to minimize sun damage. Apply high-SPF sunscreen liberally, and reapply if during sweat sessions. (I type this to remind myself, too.)

    Despite my ravaged fair skin, record of prior skin surgeries/burnings, and insistence on being outdoors, my derm says I'm in good shape. A surprise, actually. He zapped a few areas with nitrogen and sent me off.

    Just wanted to remind that preventative measures are not for naught. :geek:
     
  2. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    3000% agree!
    When I was a Tech on the shop floor working on B2's, Cathy used to get so mad at me as I had unlimited access to Ln2. I would burn off anything like warts and skin blemishes.
    We went to the Skin Doc one day and she blurted out what I was doing :eek:. He looked at me and said, what do you do? I told him and he fist bumped me and said. You look great! Keep it up :thumbsup:. Just be careful. Ha hah! :laugh:

    You only got one skin and there are many here that can attest to skin disorders they have experienced.
    Listen to @mike here. He be knowing what he speaks of...
    Thanks for the reminder Hoss!

    Mikie
     
  3. blixet

    blixet Well-Known Member

    Location:
    San Gabriel Valley
    Name:
    Tom
    Current Bike:
    Transition Scout, TJ Ti
    Going in for my 3rd Moh's surgery in a couple of weeks. That plus other excisions - all on my head so far. The current one is on the top of my scalp buried in my hair, so other than hats, never has had sunscreen. Losing chunks of your face sucks. Had to have plastic surgery to repair the one on my nose because there isn't enough slack skin to pull together for sutures. One reason I try to be out of the sun early, and only ride AMs.

    As kids, we used to see who could get the worst burn by the pool or at the beach and pull off the largest contiguous chunk of peeling skin. Stupid white kids in So Cal.

    Two years in the Peace Corps in the 70s on an island in the So. Pacific, surfing every day around noon. No sunscreen, nada. Stupid white young adult in the tropics.
     
  4. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    blitex, "like" means I understand.

    I've had three MOHS surgeries; two to my face. Like you, I had a good-sized patch (of squamous) aside my nose bridge that took three re-margins to get. The plastic surgeon did a fantastic job, unlike another dermatologist who didn't do so well on a simpler job on my cheek.

    Stupid (ignorant) indeed, guilty here. And as much as it pains me to say it, living nearer the equator is not the best place for us with fair skin.

    Be good, y'all!
     
  5. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    Mmmmm, love the re-margins! Nice little scar on my back from one.
     
    MrGreedom and mike like this.
  6. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    My skin is like paper, but I haven't had any carcinoma yet. Lots of Nitrogen burns, and a razor blade to the lip. All from sun damage. Irish skin and a love of being outdoors means lots of sunscreen and cover.
    Thanks for the PSA!
     
  7. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    My back looks like Swiss cheese with all the spots where my dermatologist has removed chunks. Some biopsies come back suspect so she cuts even more out.

    Put sunscreen on your kids, it's the ongoing exposure that adds up and not just the burns that do damage. Although some natural vitamin D is good in small doses.
     
    Cyclotourist, MrGreedom and mike like this.
  8. Makoto

    Makoto Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Mike
    I have pigment, but am still concerned with sun damage to my skin. Does anyone have some recommendations for sunscreens? I know they are not all created equal, so I would love to hear some thoughts/findings/opinions. In the past I've been lazy to research and figured some sunscreen is better than none, but it's time to educate myself one way or another. Thanks for the reminder!!!!
     
  9. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    https://eltamd.com/product/uv-sport-broad-spectrum-spf-50/

    Mak, I haven't made a great study of sunscreen. My wife did some research and came up with the physician-dispensed product linked above, which I've used for a few years now.

    I brought this product with me to discuss with my derm yesterday. He says he generally looks at the SPF number, and suggests a liberal application and frequent re-applications. He did say he thinks the product is a good one, FWIW. I have always used a small amount and never re-applied, and (repeating) was surprised to have no surgical to-dos resulting from my assessment yesterday. It's available at many derm offices – check the finder on the site. You don't have to be a patient to buy.
     
    MrGreedom and Makoto like this.
  10. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    I use the Bullfrog gel. 50 spf, non greasy, not sticky. I usually re-apply after a couple of hours. Cool side effect is that it seems to keep some bugs away too.
     
  11. SoloRider

    SoloRider Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    Santa Clarita
    Name:
    Bob
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Nickel
  12. scan

    scan iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    fran allas
    Current Bike:
    Scott Spark
    The difference between sunblock and sunscreen. The block has zinc oxide, greater protection especially for the more sensitive skin types.
     
    mike and Makoto like this.
  13. Fijirob

    Fijirob Member

    Location:
    Ladera Ranch
    Name:
    Rob
    My dermatologist recommends Blue Lizard sunscreen. Been using it for a couple of years and it's works great on my fair skin. Holds up really well on the bike and at the river.

    https://www.bluelizard.net/
     
    Cyclotourist, mike and Makoto like this.
  14. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    I use blue lizard, sol sun guard (which has zinc but also some of the other stuff which some people don't want in their sunscreen), and zcote.

    Or, whatever is on hand.
     
    mike likes this.
  15. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    I'm calling marketing language BS on the whole screen/block thing. What matters is what's in it and how it's applied. The product I use contains ZO, blocks UVA and B, and can be applied thickly enough to form a physical barrier, which is the "definition" of sun block, yet it says sunscreen on the package.
     
    Cyclotourist likes this.
  16. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
  17. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    I also use Vertra sticks for water activities, although it looks like EWG wouldn't rate it that highly, it keeps me from getting burned.
     
  18. john_hovard

    john_hovard Guest




    I have good news and bad news, what do you want first?

    The bad: Sunscreen is great for the manufacturers of sunscreen. Sunscreen is bad for sporting people living in a hot climate. First you must apply a thick layer and after one hour (if not very hot and the sunscreen is still covering after 2 hours you are lucky, but do not trust that it is still blocking the harmful UV-rays) if sweating much wipe off and reapply. Sunscreens only block one of the UV types.

    The good: You can buy clothes that are blocking both UV types (both UV-A and UV-B). That comes with advantages that you do not need to make the factories that produce sunscreen rich and yourself poor.

    Google is your friend. I found

    Coolibar http://www.coolibar.com bought clothes to my baby

    Solumbra http://www.sunprecautions.com/ bought marathon clothes to me

    http://www.sunprecautions.com/product/15300 this is great for biking when hot

    http://www.sunprecautions.com/product/21300 this is good for running not biking

    The gloves from Solumbra are no good stitching hurt. The mountain bike jacket is no good either, far too hot and made for girls only (zipper). I use the helmet drape instead of creaming my face and I use goat skin gloves though they are warm they block the UV-rays and do not slip on the handlebar (expensive though).

    For my legs I bought a pair of legcoolers from

    Bouree http://www.boure.com/SPF.html they stay up a couple of hours, then they have to get higher up again when it is very hot. So far I have not found mtb pants worth riding in when hot so I am using a pair of Specialized Demo Pro pants even though they are far too hot and I am boiling in them even when it is not that hot, therefore the leg coolers that I use with shorts that are so thick that they must be blocking the sun even though they are not made for UV-protection but they are so loose that the wind can cool me.

    One thing that some of you might like: All the clothes come from USA.

    How good such clothes are is not easy to see but the doctor that operated me say that he think that I have no new problems and if taking care I should not get any.

    Could send you some ugly pictures of what has been cut off me, but luckily I do not know how to upload pictures and it is not really good looking at.

    Skin-cancer is increasing he told me due to deteriorating ozone layer and the way we treat the earth. My doctor is leader of a team of 5 operating doctors and the island I live on has less than a million inhabitants, but then again, we have sun almost all year.

    Take care of you skin. It is not possible to replace.
     
  19. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    I'm pretty dark skinned and tan real easy. One side of my family has no sun issues, the other side gets lesions removed constantly. I think I am on the safe side though.

    Covering your skin is far superior to any lotion. If you use lotion, it has to protect against both UVA and UVB, otherwise it isn't protecting properly.
     
    DangerDirtyD, mike and Cyclotourist like this.
  20. john_hovard

    john_hovard Guest


    The doctor that operated me told me there is no sun-cream that protect against both UVA and UVB. He went as far as saying if some company promise that they are not truthful.
     
  21. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    Good info
     
  22. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    I agree with you guys that physically blocking the light with fabric, etc, is the only way to be serious about it. I recently started doing that, and the results are good.

    I cut the short sleeves off a sun-blocking t-shirt – they work well for face if you cut out some breathing hole(s). And it looks way creepy. Or use a bandana. I go without sunglasses on the climb due to fogging, but no prob going down.
     
  23. john_hovard

    john_hovard Guest

    Do protect your eyes. Sun is dangerous also when climbing. Get a pair of vented sunglasses. Or some without frame.
     
  24. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Shades on the climb is where I draw the line. Shades will be an absolute mess no matter what I do on a hard climb, so it's gonna be a helmet visor and done during those times. Thanks for the PSA, JH.
     
    littlewave likes this.
  25. john_hovard

    john_hovard Guest

    when I go out on a ride I use this for my face: http://www.sunprecautions.com/product/38100
     
  26. Dirtrider....

    Dirtrider.... Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Mission Viejo, CA
    Name:
    Paul
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley V4
    Have any of you used Da Brim products?? http://www.dabrim.com/

    I've seen horse riders wearing them i think here in Irvine park area... i also remember seeing a roadie wearing something like that... wonder how stable they would be once you get above 15 mph... being solar challenged myself, i'm always looking for something that will give my skin some shade.
     
  27. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Friend of mine wears one, seems like a good product.
     
    Dirtrider.... likes this.
  28. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Yes, we have/had them. Too expensive, not well designed (loop-back fastex buckle/static webbing on rigid object = fail, etc.). I've made a few of them I've been much happier with.

    I found that the sombrero approach is less effective than a generous front visor with bandana for the ears and neck. I like to use a jacket with a hood. A generous, semi-rigid front visor is a very good thing in the rain. I never got into helmet covers, stopped taking them on tours, but like a hood, they won't play nice with da brim.
     
    Cyclotourist likes this.
  29. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
  30. john_hovard

    john_hovard Guest

    Never heard of them and looking at the pictures of what they have I doubt I would want to use one of the sails they have to keep sun from head. Go fast and you could get lifted if the material is strong enough.
     


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?