Skin cancer - sailing in Scotland

[srm]

Just a gentle warning as it seemed so unlikely. I recently had a skin cancer removed from my forehead. The dermatologist's initial reaction was "where did you get all the sun - sailing?"
Well yes, almost five decades of sailing, but mostly north and west Scotland, plus west Norway, a few weeks in Denmark, and a few passages the length of Britain.
Its not just me, someone else I knew who also did most of his sailing in the north of Scotland and Scandinavia lost bits from both of his ears to skin cancer.

We are both OK now, but do take care.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

The risky UV rays apparently are more damaging in the north, something to do with the angle that they come through our part of the atmosphere.

Radiation: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation

• Time of year and time of day

UV levels vary mainly with the height of the sun in the sky and in mid-latitudes are highest during the summer months during the 4-hour period around solar noon. During these times the sun's rays take the most direct path to earth. In contrast, during early morning or late afternoon hours the sun's rays pass at a greater angle through the atmosphere. Much more UV radiation is absorbed and less reaches the Earth.

• Latitude

UV levels are higher closer to the equator. Closer to the equator the sun's rays have a shorter distance to travel through the atmosphere and therefore less of the harmful UV radiation can be absorbed.

I assume that the opposite is therefore true, that the longer distance they have to travel, the more time they have to hit your body and are therefore potentially more damaging.

I have had number of marks removed from my skin, my head treated twice for UV damage using Efudex cream, and now I have a freckle on the top edge of my lower lip. My dentist pointed that out and said she has never noticed it before, so now I have a referral to get that checked.

As a kid I rarely had my upper body covered when sailing or windsurfing, I am expecting the worst. So far all new growths have been benign.

Thanks for the reminder, it is important, and good luck with not having anymore.

 

[oldbloke]

You are mis-reading that. The UV tends to be absorbed by the atmosphere, so the further north the lower the UV. I think the big danger for the yachtsman, and other outdoor types, in and around the UK (and especially Scotland) is that its so bloody cold that you don't realise the exposure. On a bright ,sunny, breezy May day you might have 10 hrs exposure, with no thought of protection , without realising it. It's easy when it's hot to know you should take action

 

[srm]

On a bright ,sunny, breezy May day you might have 10 hrs exposure, with no thought of protection , without realising it.

Plus reflected light off the water.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

You are mis-reading that. ...

Indeed I have. Thanks for the correction.

 

[dunedin]

My consultant recommended wearing a hat with a brim - like a Tilley or similar. Works in the sun and the rain so worn pretty much all the time when sailing.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

You are mis-reading that. The UV tends to be absorbed by the atmosphere, so the further north the lower the UV. I think the big danger for the yachtsman, and other outdoor types, in and around the UK (and especially Scotland) is that its so bloody cold that you don't realise the exposure. On a bright ,sunny, breezy May day you might have 10 hrs exposure, with no thought of protection , without realising it. It's easy when it's hot to know you should take action

Although it's much less pronounced than in the Antarctic, the ozone layer is depleted in the Arctic too, so UV increases as you head north. The boundary is less pronounced than in the Antarctic, too. But the effect of a cooling breeze on a sunny day is, of course, also a factor. Another issue is reflection from the sea; again much worse in areas where there's reflection from snow and ice.

The worst sunburn I've ever had was on a sunny day with a nice breeze in the Falkland Islands. I went for a long and very pleasant walk, but was in considerable discomfort for several days afterwards! Enhanced UV and failure to recognize that I was getting burnt did it; my face and neck resembled a lobster!

In Antarctica it's a fairly serious H&S matter to wear sunscreen when outdoors if the sun is visible.

 

[srm]

Although it's much less pronounced than in the Antarctic, the ozone layer is depleted in the Arctic too, so UV increases as you head north. The boundary is less pronounced than in the Antarctic, too.

That's very interesting. I long suspected it might be the case when living in Orkney. Usually days with sun left me feeling as normal after being in the sun with no adverse effect as I tan easily. However, now and again a similar sunny day and exposure would leave my forehead stinging with the skin feeling tight. Others also noticed this effect.

 

[oldbloke]

This thread prompted me to Google.
Whilst I am aware of the "hole" in the ozone layer I hadn't really realised the reality of the change. Antarctic summer uv levels were always quite high at 6-8, about the same as southern UK they are now at 12 -14 which is the same, or more, than San Diego in southern California.
However, only about 10% of uv is reflected by water and at 2 metres depth the uv levels have dropped by less than half. So I guess I really should wear a uv vest when snorkeling

 

[Halo]

Not many days when I don’t use sun block. As I am usually on the N Sea with lots of layers and a Lowe Alpine cap on I only need to put it on my face and back of my hands. This means that the sun block lasts for ages What I didn’t understand until recently is that sun cream doesn’t last for more than a couple of years before it stops being effective. How old is yours?

 

[Neeves]

Most GP practices here offer skin cancer screening as a normal procedure like taking blood pressure. Most people are very cautious and we all wear protection and hats. Its easy to distinguish tourists from locals on the beach

Hats on yachts are a problem, you need a brim to keep the sun off your face but this means you overly exercise your neck to sea the top of the mast and sail.

Not many days when I don’t use sun block. As I am usually on the N Sea with lots of layers and a Lowe Alpine cap on I only need to put it on my face and back of my hands. This means that the sun block lasts for ages What I didn’t understand until recently is that sun cream doesn’t last for more than a couple of years before it stops being effective. How old is yours?

Most people here wash the sun screen off at the end of the day

Jonathan

 

[Concerto]

The worst sunburn I have ever suffered was sailing at Easter in the late 70's or early 80's. Helped deliver a boat from the Medway to Brighton with force 6 to 7 Easterly wind. The crew was My father and 2 other crew who had never sailed before. It was a beat along the Thames and day break was off Herne Bay with a clear sky. It was a fast sail from North Foreland to South Foreland, then heading just below West it became a fast and rolling with a corkscrew motion. The two crew suffered from sea sickness, leaving my father and I to hand steer in the conditions. The maximum time we could stay on the helm was an hour before our muscles ached. Everyone was glad to reach Brighton, but my father and I had shoulders that knew had been well and truly exercised. Our faces glowed red from the sun, the wind and the reflections off the sea. The nose and the tops of my ears blistered badly. A few days later I had to fly to Hong Kong with sun burn. Every where I went I was asked how I got so badly burnt.

Over the decades I have rarely caught the sun as my skin goes brown quite quickly, but very rarely ever take my shirt off and never expose my knees. This photo was taken when in Conwy with my daughter and grandson, after nearly 3 months sailing after leaving Chatham and shows how dark my skin had become. I always keep an eye out for any spots on my exposed skin, along with my pestering from my wife, but nothing so far.

 

[Stemar]

I got a right earful from a dermatologist for having a similar tan to you in that photo. I'm not so good with my arms, but my head is now almost always covered with a Tilley hat. I've tried several cheaper ones, but the Tilley really is the mutt's, whatever the weather.

 

[Frank Holden]

Although it's much less pronounced than in the Antarctic, the ozone layer is depleted in the Arctic too, so UV increases as you head north. The boundary is less pronounced than in the Antarctic, too. But the effect of a cooling breeze on a sunny day is, of course, also a factor. Another issue is reflection from the sea; again much worse in areas where there's reflection from snow and ice.

The worst sunburn I've ever had was on a sunny day with a nice breeze in the Falkland Islands. I went for a long and very pleasant walk, but was in considerable discomfort for several days afterwards! Enhanced UV and failure to recognize that I was getting burnt did it; my face and neck resembled a lobster!

In Antarctica it's a fairly serious H&S matter to wear sunscreen when outdoors if the sun is visible.

I believe southern Chile/ Magallanes Province / TDF/ etc has the highest incidence of melanomas on the planet.

 

[dgadee]

And eyes! I never wore sunglasses in the north and required early cataract op.

 

[Scomber]

And eyes! I never wore sunglasses in the north and required early cataract op.

Me too!

 

[jamie N]

I get checked for malignant spots every 3 months. I've had cancer, and it's more likely that I'll get skin cancer as I've a prevalence for it, according to 'my' skin guy.
Being born & bred on Hayling Island, I didn't actually wear a shirt until I was a teenager, so suffered regular and serious sunburn. In today's World, it'd be considered child abuse.

 

[Concerto]

I wear contact lenses whilst sailing and they have UV protection built in.

 

[nevis768]

I too have had skin cancer removed on my face. I always wear a baseball hat now, and use suncream, whatever the weather. I wear legionnaire type hat when it is really hot or climbing abroad.

 

[Zing]

Sun exposure is a big issue living mainly in the Caribbean as I do. There is a bit of a paradox and a dilemma here. A good way to get good levels of vitamin D is from sun exposure and high levels of vitamin D protects the skin to a degree from the UV damage, which we don’t want. I solved this in recent years on an experiment with myself. I had rather sensitive skin and would burn easily, so kept in the shade most of my life, covered up and wore factor 50 sunscreen. Then I changed, I take high doses of vitamin D when the sun is too weak to produce vitamin D, I expose myself to the sun unprotected regularly (but not enough to burn). I have a moderate tan also, but the bottom line is I don’t burn anymore on the times I am too long in the sun (which I still limit), all the more extraordinary as I use no sunscreen now. I have a hugely increased resistance to sunburn.