Dave,
VERY sorry to hear about your neck, and I hope you have a complete and
swift recovery!
Many on this list may know me as "the big hat guy" because I wear the
largest hats around. I have a skin condition called vitiligo which
means areas of my skin have lost all pigment -- they are totally
unprotected from the sun. So I wear big hats (and long pants and
sleeves) and usually try to work setup and run in the first run group
to get out of the sun. Then I have to put the top up for the ride home
because I've already had my exposure for the day -- that's the worst
part!
But even without a condition like vitiligo the california sun is a
serious danger -- I hope everyone takes precautions to avoid dangerous
skin cancers. Derek Lowe, a 28-year-old professional athlete (a Red Sox
pitcher), just had most of the skin removed from his nose because of
skin cancer.
Big hats and sunscreen -- it's worth it!
-- Glenn
PS: I wear Izeo hats (www.hatinabag.com) when it isn't windy and I just
got a great stiff-brimmed hat for windy days called a "floater" by
dorfman-pacific (http://www.prescotthats.com/men_canvas.htm). Wider
brims mean more protection!
On Monday, April 21, 2003, at 09:23 AM, Dave Rowney wrote:
> Autocross people,
>
> Now that we are approaching the summer season, remember to protect
> yourself
> from the sun when you are out all day at an autocross. You should be
> applying a good sunscreen and re-applying at least once, and a good
> full-brimmed hat is highly advised. Try to stay in the shade as much
> as
> possible during the 10 am- 2 pm periods of peak sunlight. Clouds and
> fog
> do not reduce significantly the harmful UV radiation during peak hours.
>
> I've had to drop out (at least temporarily) from the autocross scene to
> fight skin cancer on the back of my neck. The direct cause is
> excessive UV
> radiation exposure. At the moment I can't wear a helmet or turn my head
> enough to drive competitively due to surgery. I miss the competition
> and
> my autocross friends. Don't let this happen to you!
>
> Dave
>
> P. S. Katie is the authority on sunscreens, I believe :)
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