Baldiness

Sun and Skin

by Bald Man on June 8th, 2006

OK, complete the following equation:

[BALD HEAD] + [SUMMER SUN] = ???

Go!

.
.
.

Time’s up. Pencil’s down. If you answered any of the following:

1. a. pain
2. b. peeling
3. c. blisters (Here’s looking at you, Aaron!)
4. d. skin cancer

score one point and move to the next round.

Let’s face it: Bald people have to do a lot of accepting. First, we’ve got to accept that we’re bald. Once we do that, we’ve got to accept that the sun isn’t our friend. Here are a few facts from The Skin Cancer Foundation:

• More than 1.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed yearly in the United States.
• One in 5 Americans and one in 3 Caucasians will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• Nationally, there are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, and colon.
• More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, yet fewer than 33 percent of adults, adolescents, and children routinely use sun protection.
• A person’s risk for skin cancer doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns.

I know I fit into that last category. They also note the majority of people diagnosed with melanoma are white men over age 50. I don’t suppose a coincidence that white men over age 50 are also the most likely to be bald?

So, it’s time to accept it: You’re bald, and the sun is NOT your friend. Take care of yourself, then. Buy a bucket hat. Use sunscreen. Stay inside and watch the World Cup. It’s for your own good, you know.

This is part of the b5media Science & Health Channel Topic du Jour. A roundup of the days posts is available here.

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POSTED IN: Head Care, Topic du Jour