Labor Day Weekend

Google

As summer comes to a close this weekend, remember to be sun savvy. While enjoying the last few moments before school starts and work begins again sun safety is still an issue. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend without sun damage by following SLIP! SLOP! SLAP! WRAP!

Google

Coffins

Pinterest

This picture showed up on my personal facebook newsfeed and I felt the need to share. I quite often refer to tanning beds as cancer coffins, but this picutre just makes it true.

Creepy!

I read an article today that was on MSN.com's home page about a tanning salon owner trying to spy on girls who are tanning at his salon. Click on the link if you would like to read the article yourself. This makes me wonder how often does this happen? When I used to go to tanning salons I never thought of this, but it may be a problem that is not talked about. My opinion is that people should not frequent the tanning salon at all, but as a client is important for your own safety to be aware of your surroundings.

Get something for FREE!!!!

Listen to Your Skin is giving away free suncare kits! How awesome is this! If you click on the link it will take you to the webpage. One the left side will be the tab where you can enter your information for the suncare kit. Enjoy the free products while being sun savy!

Bacon?

I like my bacon, but I definitely do not want to be bacon!! Remember to wear your sunscreen or you will be the bacon!

A Little Reminder

I was browsing Pinterest this afternoon and came across this pin. I thought it was a quick reminder as the dog days of summer are quickly coming to a close of how to protect yourself along with some statistics.

Pinterest

My 3rd Cancerversay Celebration :)

I know my 3rd Cancerversay was several weeks ago, but these weeks have been crazy buzy. I have been spending my time between family, friends, and my boyfriend before the last days of summer are oer and the books are calling my name. Plus I have been packing my old apartment and getting ready to move and work. I know not real excuses, but still. B and I were able to get through the whole third season of Pretty Little Liars, even though our marathon went into the next day. Mom even brought me a cake home to celebrate and B bought me a ring on her recent trip to Michigan. Thanks to my family for making this a special day <3

To the zoo we go!

As we all know I love being frugal and enjoying time outside while being sun savy ;) Well Wednesday night was just that! B and I headed to the local zoo which was offering half price admission Wednesday nights throughout all of summer from 6pm until 8pm. We were able to enjoy gazing at all of the animals without having to worry about the sun! We had a blast and I thank the zoo for helping us truly enjoy our adventure! Here are a few of our pictures:

Google searching

As I did a Google search on myself tonight because I was really curious to see what I would find. I did find that other news reporting companies have used my story from the two  previous articles I was interviewed for. I thought that was pretty awesome! Here is the link to see the blog post that was written about me from Stand Up to Cancer. I thought this was pretty cool, especially since Stand Up to Cancer is a huge event.

Where I have been and where I am going

As I am scrolling through my facebook newsfeed tonight this pops up from my friend's pinterest pin. It caught my attention because far too often I get consumed with where my life should be, what I should be doing, or what is wrong in my life instead of looking at the positives. I am posting this as a reminder to myself. Three years ago I had no idea I would be sitting here writing a blog about melanoma, being cancer free for three years, the wonderful opportunities that I had been given because of melanoma, the sadness that I have felt from melanoma and cancer in general, and how happy I should be with my life. Recently I have been really struggling with being happy with my life now and I am not a hundred percent sure why. Maybe because lots of changes are coming in my future and I fear them. In nine short months I will have to completely grow up and enter the real world, ready to educate other people's children. This is once again a reminder to have faith in God's plan. He has put me on every path I have been meant to travel and will continue to do so.

Some Guys Like Pale Girls Too

She sings a song about guys liking pale girls too :)

Gorgeous Ladies of Pretty Little Liars

In spring I got hooked on the drama, suspense filled show Pretty Little Liars. Every time I watch the show I become more and more in love. One reason I love the show is because the ladies embrace their natural, beautiful skin tones and wear fashion forward clothes :)

Beautiful Pale Ladies

As I was reading my latest Cosmo magazine last night I paid special attention to the ads. I was pleasantly suprised many of the ads had models proudly wearing their natural skin tones. This is an awesome change from other magazines I have read in the past, especially ones who print articles about sun safety but across from the article is a sun kissed model. Here are a few pictures of the ads I came across:

Here are two that I wasn't so pleased to see:

Overall I think there were more ads embracing natural skin tones than tan ones :) Thanks Cosmo!

Love the Skin Your In!

 

When I was browsing through my Facebook newsfeed this morning I came across this picture and caption and knew I had to share on the blog.

When I asked the brilliant Jennifer Pastiloff Yoga, writer and yoga retreat leader, about loving the skin you're in, she had this to say: "I look at my pale skin with pride now, where once upon a time I slathered baby oil on and fried. To love the skin you live in is the greatest honor you can give it. Whether you are brown, purple, pale or pink, tell your skin that you love it. More importantly, treat it that way." *Taken from Respect the Rays Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Respect-the-Rays/243223335784833

Coolibar Blog Post

Back in May I was given the wonderful opportunity to write a blog post for the sun protection clothing company Coolibar. During May, which is melanoma awareness month Coolibar chooses melanoma survivors to share their story. Once again I gladly shared my story in hopes someone, young or old, would read it and get their skin checked. Here is the link to the blog: http://blog.coolibar.com/melanoma-survivor-sam/

Paleness does not equal beauty?!

Last night as I went to bed I was reflecting on my day at work at "Hooters on the Lake" as my family calls it (it is not really a Hooters or anything of the sort, just a beertending job). An older man told me, "you have such beautiful skin". I thanked him and went on with my job. A while later a different gentleman commented about how pale my legs were, mind you I was wearing jeans rolled up to capri length so he could not see much, and if I did wear shorts my legs have probably not seen the sun light. As I thought about these comments I am once again reminded that society does not equal beauty with paleness. One minute I am being told I have great skin (because I avoid the sun like the plaque :) ) but yet I have comments made about how pale I am. This is not the first time comments about my paleness have been made to me. I am more often questioned about my paleness or lack of a tan than told I have great skin. Society is so fixated on being tan that the reality of the dangers of the sun and tanning beds is ignored. My questions to you are how can we change society's view of what beauty is, how do you handle situations like this, or is the problem that we are not accpeting of our natural beauty?

Skin Cancer? What to look for

In honor of being cancer free for three years yesterday I think it is important to provide you with some resources on what to look for as red flags for skin cancer. One of the most IMPORTANT things you can do to catch skin cancer early is to KNOW your own body. Yes, the doctor can detect wierd looking moles, but you are the best candidate to see if they changed. If I wouldn't have had the gut feeling that my mole was wierd and pointed it out to my doctor who knows where I would be today. The ABCDE's are things you should be looking for in your moles when you perform monthly self skin checks.

A= Asymmetry- If you were to cut the mole in half each side should look the same.

 

B= Border- The border should be smooth all around. No jagged or uneven edges.


C= Color- The mole is one uniform color.

 

D= Diameter- The mole should be no larger than a pencil top eraser.

E= Evolving- If the mole changes in any way-shape, color, funny border, elevation, itching, bleeding, or crusting.

 

Skin Check:
Here is a step by step guide on how to perform a personal skin check. If you do not feel comfortable doing this yourself ask your partner to help you.
What you'll need: a bright light, a full-length mirror, a hand mirror, 2 chairs or stools, a blow dryer, body maps and a pencil.

1	Examine your face, especially the nose, lips, mouth, and ears - front and back. Use one or both mirrors to get a clear view.
2	Thoroughly inspect your scalp, using a blow dryer and mirror to expose each section to view. Get a friend or family member to help, if you can.
3	Check your hands carefully: palms and backs, between the fingers and under the fingernails. Continue up the wrists to examine both front and back of your forearms.
4	Standing in front of the full-length mirror, begin at the elbows and scan all sides of your upper arms. Don't forget the underarms
5	Next focus on the neck, chest, and torso. Women should lift breasts to view the underside.
6	With your back to the full-length mirror, use the hand mirror to inspect the back of your neck, shoulders, upper back, and any part of the back of your upper arms you could not view in step 4.
7	Still using both mirrors, scan your lower back, buttocks, and backs of both legs.
8	Sit down; prop each leg in turn on the other stool or chair. Use the hand mirror to examine the genitals. Check front and sides of both legs, thigh to shin, ankles, tops of feet, between toes and under toenails. Examine soles of feet and heels.	*Guide and pictures are courtesy of The Skin Cancer Foundation