Too Much Skin

Summer is upon us. For my boys that means just one thing: going to the pool. For me, going to the pool means feeling fat in my bathing suit, feeling stupid for having to hold my nose, and anxiety.

The only thing worse than buying a bathing suit is actually wearing one. And can someone tell me why when I take my kids to the pool, the only other moms there are hot moms? Come on! Nothing makes you feel worse than a 40 year-old mother of 4 with not a single stretch mark….I know this because she of course wears the smallest two piece allowed by law. Yes, we look. That’s what women do.

Yes, it’s true…I have to hold my nose to go underwater. It’s embarrassing. I didn’t always have to; when I was little I could swim underwater without holding my nose….what the heck happened?

Anxiety, if you know me even a little, is my constant companion. It’s not an overwhelming kind of anxiety; it’s more of an undercurrent. The boys wear long-sleeve swim shirts, I cover every inch of their precious skin with sun screen (including scalps)…and I re-apply as directed. Even playing outside on cloudy days the boys get “greased-up” before they are allowed outside…and they must wear hats. I am equally as vigilant with my own skin. Even with all that care I still worry. What if I missed a spot?

I got some pretty bad sun burns when I was young and stupid. Once so badly that I still have the scars. I’ve learned so much since then. I’ve learned about the increased risk I now carry. I’ve learned that it is my responsibility to protect my children’s skin now, and teach them the importance of protecting their own skin in the future.

We spend a lot of time teaching people about breast cancer and prostate cancer. We encourage people to stop smoking; we even chastise smokers for how they impact others’ health. I had a conversation with a nurse once who described her decision to “tan” as a personal choice. This was my question to her, “If you could do something to decrease your risk of breast cancer, you would do it, right? Why wouldn’t you take the same care to prevent skin cancer?”

Vanity can cost you so much.  If you have a few minutes watch this video.