Skin Deep

.: The following PSA is healthy-husband approved :.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. I actually didn’t know that until I started looking for facts and information on this post, one that I’ve been putting off writing for a couple weeks. Why didn’t I know that? Why doesn’t everyone know that? (maybe you did… why didn’t you tell me!? pfft. some friend…)

Ever since I’ve known my husband (6 years, btw) he’s had this mole on the left side of his nose right next to the thingy where his glasses rest. Then, about 3 years ago, another one popped up on the other side of his nose. I figured it was from the friction caused by the glasses. Both have gotten bigger over the course of our relationship, and another showed up on his forehead. That one was different; it wasn’t raised at all, and was a darker color, almost like a spot from a dark red Sharpie. There were also a couple little bumps on his neck and under his eye. I’m no topographer, Jim, and I know I’m rather excitable and tend to overreact sometimes, but.. Sue me.

I’ve been wanting to make an appointment for him for years, but didn’t want to piss him off. (that whole excitable/overreact thing. it’s not his favorite quality of mine.) So a couple months ago, I started mentioning it in passing. “Oh, hey, gonna make you an appointment, pass the chips, please.” This was a carefully choreographed, strategic attack. After 3 or 4 comments like that, and, an equal number of “What?! Why!?” from him, I just made the appointment. “Oh, hey, made you an appointment, pass the edamame, please.” That was a month ago.

The dermatologist was a Barbie look-alike with hot pointy-toed heels. That’s not really relevant to this story, but we were both impressed with her kicky shoes. She checked him out, had him take his shirt off, looked at all the moles in questions, and cut them right off. We were there for about 30 minutes total: sign-in, patient info forms, excisions and all. They mean business over there.

A week later they called with the biopsy results: 4 normal, one not. The dark one on his forehead was ‘irregular’. It was completely excised, so no action is necessary after the biopsy other that a head-to-toe skin check every month and an office visit every six months. He assured the doctor that I would be ‘vigilant’ in enforcing the at-home skin checks. Damn right. BOOYAH.

Since then, I’ve turned into a skin-protection nazi. Even I’m surprised at my vigilance. But the thing is, my husband isn’t someone that hangs out and frolics in the sun. He’s not an outdoorsy guy, and is in fact putting up a serious fight to my desire to vacation in Jamaica this summer. If he can get ‘irregular’ moles, what about the rest of us who grew up in the sun? Who have maybe gone tanning once or twice. (it was before prom! shut it!) We need to protect ourselves, check ourselves and each other, and raise awareness.

There is a ton of information on skin-protection and cancer prevention online if you know to look for it. These are some of the basics I used in my own research, and when putting this together. Also, last month’s Glamour Magazine had a 12-page article on skin cancer if you can track it down. It had some great info, things I had never heard before, like the fact that most melanoma occur on women’s legs and feet, because they are the least protected. Wow, yeah?

The A, B, C, D & E’s of Skin Cancer.

Dangerous mole or not: Take the quiz.

Know the facts.

Protect yourself and everyone you love.

.: M and I at dinner on our wedding night in Hawaii, 07.20.06