The calendar says its mid-July and that means the pool, the beach, the boat and the hot sun.
When you think of the pool or the beach, you see everyone having a great time. There’s something about sunshine and water that just translates into sheer fun.
If you should go to a Reds game this summer and literally sit directly in the sun for 2-3 hours, be sure and take a hat, preferably a floppy large rimmed one, some sunscreen and water to hydrate.
This is dangerous because you are sitting with little movement and are a direct target for the sun’s UV radiation and severe sunburn.
Dreamland Pool in Ashland — where Mike got so sunburned he ended up in ER.
If you are at the lake, beach, on a boat, or out for a walk and exercise, make your plans for protection. You will need it.
Experts such as the American Academy of Dermatology will tell you that the worst time for a sun burn is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. when the suns UV rays are the highest.
What exactly are the UV rays?
Sunburn occurs when UV radiation directly damages the DNA in the skin cells which triggers an inflammatory reaction.
Sunburn will produce pain and redness usually within the first 6-48 hrs.
The remedy for sunburn is the use of icepacks and aloe vera gel, and hydrating yourself.
If you are chilling and have nausea you may want to get immediate care as this condition could be a heatstroke with a 2nd degree burn that causes swelling and even dizziness.
A history of severe sunburns yields a 2.4 fold increase in your risk of squamous cell carcinoma and a 1.5 fold increase in the risk of melanoma.
Excessive sun in the late ’80s
So, the bottom line is to use common sense, prepare for the sun exposure with clothing, sunscreen, and a hat for sure.
When the temperature rises on these July days, usually humidity is tough. So, the natural instinct is to hit the pool.
By 1959 I was now a regular at Dreamland Pool over in West Virginia playing basketball and then cooling off in the pool.
A factor I never thought about was being sunburned. I never used sunscreen unless someone offered me some. I even discovered that young ladies back then used a crazy concoction of baby oil and iodine. It was not a sunscreen but used as an accelerant to speed up their “tans.” I often wondered how many of them were severely burned because of it. Good bet, many were.
To prevent a sunburn once you are at the pool, drink extra water, hydrate. The sun draws body fluids to the skin surface and away from the rest of the body. The extra water will help prevent dehydration.
A Reds floppy hat — perfect for protection from the sun.
A good idea is to ask your doctor or pharmacist what would be the best sunscreen for you.
This is what can happen if you don’t prepare for the sun.
One Saturday, after several hours at Dreamland playing basketball in the sun and then cooling off in the pool, it was time to head home. Once I got home I noticed my skin by was red and began burning with pain and chills. It was time to head to the hospital and get treatment. I was diagnosed with minor sunstroke, 2nd degree burns and was greatly dehydrated all of which were the dividends of extreme stupidity.
I stayed overnight and was released the next day with a ton of advice from the doctor and nurses alike.
From that day on through the passing years whenever I was out in the sun for periods of time, I used sunscreen appropriately and wore cover for obvious reasons.
Usually, your city pools are crowded for the sun and the fun. However many today prefer the pool, and want their privacy. Thus, fun time was anytime at home in the family pool. Having 3 sons who were all excellent swimmers, the pressure was on for a pool to be built in our back yard. When you invest in a pool, you find yourself thinking that you have to use it because it was a huge investment.
When I use the phrase “have to” that means using it for swimming, getting a tan, cookouts, and entertaining friends.
We could count on being poolside early on Saturdays and Sundays and as soon as our family got home from work etc during the week. The pool becomes like a second home. You feel guilty if you didn’t use it and leave it unoccupied because of the heavy expense of chemicals etc.
You can count on the years in the sun will begin to take its toll as you get older. You will notice growths on your body, forehead, and scalp. If you do, it time to head to your local dermatologist and be scanned for possible skin cancer. Sounds scary, that’s because it is.
Another perfect sun hat.
When I was much younger after learning how to swim, summertime meant hanging out around the pool, the beach and lake. I had a ton of hair during those years. However, as you progress into your elder years as you know, sometimes men’s hair thins out. For me, last summer 2022 I noticed some growths on my scalp. There were three to be exact. The dermatologist was concerned of one growth on my forehead, one on my temple and one on my crown.
Biopsies were subsequently taken and later determined to be squamous cell carcinomas. They were removed and stitches taken. I asked why they were growing on my scalp as I ceased laying in the sun and the use of a pool many years ago. The answer given was because of the sun’s UV radiation rays that penetrate through hair and damage the scalp.
I could show photos of them, but take it from me, you would not want to see them. Now, a year later here in 2023, 2 more growths have surfaced. Monday, June 19 I returned to my dermatologist for an evaluation. Biopsies were taken and June 22 I was told that both were skin cancer just like before. Dates were set to remove them through July and August.
So with summertime comes sunshine and possible sunburns, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Take the aforementioned precautions of a good sunscreen, wear head cover, and be aware of your skin and the amount of time you have spent in the sun.
Those tips are really a simple Recipe for Success to enjoy your summer.
Whatever you do — forget the baby oil and iodine!
Mike Tussey has “retired” from a 60-plus-year career as a legendary play-by-play announcer for over 2000 football, baseball, and basketball games, including most recently for ESPN+. His career also includes a stint in law enforcement, teaching and coaching, and writing books, including the “Touchdown Saints.” He grew up in Eastern Kentucky and now lives in Florence with his wife, Jo. He has opened another “Door of Opportunity” and is now a regular columnist for the NKyTribune.
I remember my father using baby oil and iodine. Then years later he had to have several places removed from his face and nose. He always believed it was from being a pilot during WW2. Maybe it was from both. I guess we’ll never know for sure. And that’s the catch that gets a lot of people. I’ve read several times it’s really a cumulative effect from years of heavy sun exposure. We’ve got to go out in the sun to get various vitamins that we need. But we certainly don’t need “tan accelerants“ to speed up the damage.
I wonder who thought up combining baby oil and iodine anyway???!!!!
Denny..Great Question..! Advice…..Use Sunscreen…preferably a 50!!