Sun safety

Hi SammyJ and a very warm welcome to the group which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

It can be really difficult to know what's best to do in relation to the sun when you've had a melanoma diagnosis and I totally understand you feeling like you'll never be able to do things that you used to before. 

When I was diagnosed with melanoma 9 years ago I was told that I should follow these guidelines to protect myself in the sun:

1. Stay out of the sun during the strongest time of the day (11am to 3pm) between April and October inclusive in the UK and in all months of the year in any other part of the world
2. When going outside wear long sleeved tops and trousers/skirts made from natural fibres like cotton
3. Wear a broad brimmed hat (brim should be at least 3 inches) and sun glasses
4. Sit in the shade and never sunbathe 
5. Any part of your body that is not covered, ie face, neck, back of hands should have a sun protection cream of SPF 50 that is effective against both UVA and UVB rays
6. Re-apply the sunscreen as directed on the bottle
7. Never use sunbeds
8. Don't use sunscreen instead of covering up

At first I found it very difficult, because I used to enjoy sitting in the sun and felt that I was missing out. However, I quickly adapted and decided I needed a whole new wardrobe if I was going to protect myself, so every cloud has a silver lining! Nowadays, I much prefer to sit in the shade with a nice glass of something. 

At the end of the day only you can decide if you want to follow these guidelines and no one can stop you from wearing shorts or a bikini instead of covering up. For example, I'm a keen walker so can't necessarily stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm in this country. If I'm going for a walk during this time I just make sure I'm covered and any exposed skin has SPF50 lathered on.

If I'm on holiday abroad then I do wear long sleeved tops and trousers/skirts but would certainly wear a swimming costume for a quick dip in the pool or swim in the sea. However, once out I would cover over again. Remember the clothing doesn't need to be thick, the weave just has to be dense enough to stop light getting through.

There are various companies that make UV protective clothing, so you could take a look at those, as well as buying clothing off the high street.

I hope this helps but if you want to ask anything else just fire away.

I hope you have a lovely holiday

Anne