I am out of the water for 4-6 weeks while undergoing treatment for Solar Keratosis - which are little patches of rough skin commonly found on the face, arms and legs.

The treatment for this is basically a course of topical chemotherapy and is both visually disturbing and from what I can gather amazingly painful. However this month of pain is far better than the alternatives of these pre cancerous incidences - such as having huge chunks of you cut out or worse leaving this world far sooner than you should!

To see what a treatment may look like go here: www.sannerud.com/people/efudex/

Following my treatment my sun habits will be changing - I am only 36 but the symptoms I have now are from my younger years of skin exposure which typically involved burnt or blistered lips from hours of surfing.

Winter and Summer will now be full suits or equivalent - I have heard of people wearing skins for cover up on their legs or the stinger suits. Also following my treatment I will need to wear a balaclava for the first few months while the skin heals - does anyone out there use similar on the water?

It sure isn’t going to look pretty - but its the thrill of kiting I desire not the look so I’m happy to take to the water in any way I can.

I can only urge people with sun spots, blemishes, changing moles and rough scaly patches of skin to get them checked by your GP and better still get referred to a Dermatologist who should know this stuff back to front!

Cheers
Lance

My mother, who grew up in Hawaii, had an efudex-type treatment about fifteen years ago. She had her whole face and neck done and looked much worse for a while than the pictures on the linked site --- as close as you could ever bear to see to night of the living dead. But it was tremendously successful. Beforehand she was continuously getting bits cut out, but hasn't had a single surgery since.

I've worn a neoprene face mask while skiing and it wasn't very comfortable. Another option might be the Gath helmet with a visor. Their website claims it blocks 98% of UV.

I've seen some guy up at pinaroo point who pretty much wears a balaclava so they are around. In fact it appears to be more like a rashie with a hood.

Anyway, stinger suits are a fairly light lycra, you still burn eventually, you might want to go for a stingray suit, which appear to be fully opague... www.stingray.com.au/stingray-the-original-sun-protective-clothing-company-in-australia/?intCatID=5 . The benefit is you won't be sweating in a full neoprene suit in the middle of summer... sometimes I even find a spring suit to be a little hot...

EDIT: I R gud speeller.

Lance,

I'm sort of in the same boat - 38yo, career in tropical marine biology here in NQ since 87, solar keratoses appeared all over the lower lip and a few other places late 2005 after first year of kiting, 3 rounds of freeze treatment didn't get rid of the aggressive (split/ulcerated) one so I had it excised late last year. No probs since but the bank account took a $600 flogging!

My solution has been use of a lycra hood over the top of my oakley sunnies but underneath my gath (see avatar pic). Plus a liberal dose of zinc on the lip / nose before launching. This has really helped a lot to keep it all under control, as my nose is really the only thing not covered. Breathing can be a bit funky to get used to, and you need to pull the hood down to talk or breath while body dragging, but it is a lot better than no kiting at all. Plus good rashies etc.

For general outdoor and marine work I have found the Frillneck hats (frillneck.com.au/) are great, they have a wrap around piece which again keeps nearly your whole face covered.

Go the Urban Turban mate, hope you heal quick and get back on the water.

Andy

to clarify:

I use the lycra hood under gath helmet while kiting or surfing

and use the frill neck while on the water doing the boat work.

The frillneck wouldn't stay in place while kiting, it only sticks together by velcro.

A.

yes you get all sorts of names....went for a surf at our local a while back with the full rig on and riding my yellow McTavish 7'2"....

"Look out here comes Darth Banana!" was the call from the boys!

eat my spray mooda-faarkers!

WTF would you wear a neoprene mask while SKIING?!?!

Dave,

snow is generaly @ high altitude = cold + more UV radiation than lower altitude
(not to mention the additional UV reflected from snow)

Just came across another melanoma of the retina victim.
No problem at all till 4 weeks ago.
Now facing the big end in about 2 weeks time.
In his 40's & all he did in the sun was play cricket.

Go get some glasses - they are a pain in the butt - but the alternative isnt real cool either.

see also: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32615

roder said...

WTF would you wear a neoprene mask while SKIING?!?!

Dave,

snow is generaly @ high altitude = cold + more UV radiation than lower altitude
(not to mention the additional UV reflected from snow)

Yeah well why a neoprene mask? That's just silly. Ever heard of hat/helmet and skigoogles like most people wear when skiing/snowboarding? That pretty much covers your entire face and if it's super super cold just wear a handkerchief/scarf over the rest of it!

Dave I actually need a physical barrier to cover my lips, this is why I ask about balaclavas. In the snow the reflect UV radiation is far worse than that of water or sand so I can understand why someone would shoose such a path - especially if conditions are not idea - its not a question about vanity! Hat/helmet and googles only provide protection to the top half of your face.

POAS - I hear you about the glasses - what do people put on thier glasses to stop them from fogging? I have an issue with mine - when I get hot the sunscreen tends to evaporate and coat the lenses - other than that they are pretty good once you get used to them!

Dave - this is meant to be a constructive post about how to protect yourself from the suns negative effects and hopefully awareness about the initial warning signs of what can become a life threatening condition.

Heading down the vanity path of "Also you look like a dork when you wear one" is only going to harm the push towards awareness and acceptance in dealing with these issues.

If its not constructive why throw it out there with a topic as serious as this?

My face and lips are breaking out today from this treatment - a pain that is really hard to compare to anything else I have experienced before - blow torch on the face would be close - I wish I had used better protection in the past (creams and physical barriers) instead of thinking I was invincible like most young guys do!

Lance,

Curious as to why you're doing this treatment now and not waiting until winter when UV radiation is at its lowest?

Solar Keratosis is not life threatening and Efudex will make your skin photosensitive, plus you miss out on kiting for 2 months...

Also Neil I have a family history of melenomas - took my Uncle and Grandmother...

Lancekenny said

Dave - this is meant to be a constructive post about how to protect yourself from the suns negative effects and hopefully awareness about the initial warning signs of what can become a life threatening condition.

Heading down the vanity path of "Also you look like a dork when you wear one" is only going to harm the push towards awareness and acceptance in dealing with these issues.

Since having a bronze tan with a six pak is the ozzie ideal, any preventative stuff is going to the dorky side - see what teenagers and older wear at a swimming beach. (least possible!)

Personally I think its important to talk about how dagy, dorky and plain ugly some sun safety products are - look at how billabong and co have improved the status of the floppy and straw hats, long sleeved rashies etc just by cool designs & marketing due to consumer demand.

If you arent going to look 'cool/trendy' it has to be for a good reason, you have to be comfortable with it and prepared to take the flak that goes with it.
Classic example of that is the absolute roasting windsurfers give the kiter who wears boardies over skins.(?they mistake them for wetsuit. ok for AFL etc but not kiters.!?) He doesnt give a sh t because hes not hot and sizzling and can enjoy tomorrow too.

I like your idea of being positive and proactive on this topic, awareness of symptoms is vital, the other end of the spectrum is teenagers and people starting this sport. The thought of having to wear a dorky balaclava would be enough to send them rushing for the zinc

Hey CT - thanks for that - Im sure I dont have any form of cancer and this is all to nip it in the bud - prevention is the key...

The skin should be fine after a week or two (fingers crossed) but will be inside until I reach the stage where I can move to the Balaclava with no irritation...

I have to say as I break out more and more today - driving cars with windows down or windows with no UV treatment looks like a bad thing... my driving side looks far more like christmas (bright lights everywhere) compared to the left!