skin cancer
May 22, 2023
by Mary Jo Zettler
Skin cancer, in spite of its scary name, is mostly benign. There are 3 types:
People with a certain heritage (like red or blonde hair) are more prone to skin cancer. That would include most of us Zettlers. At this date, I know at least four of us in Gen 2 and 3 have had it. I have had seven growths removed, all but one were basal cell. I would say that it mostly affects older people, but I had my first one at 25 (they had to shave half my mid-back length hair off, much more traumatic than the surgery!) and my second at 39. The rest have been in the last ten years, including two bouts of plastic surgery on my face, one of which rearranged my lip (gotta love that mild stroke look).
What to do?
by Mary Jo Zettler
Skin cancer, in spite of its scary name, is mostly benign. There are 3 types:
- Basal cell--grows cell to cell, doesn't metastasize, slow growing.
- Squamous cell--doesn't normally metastasize, but left untreated, cells can move through the bloodstream to other parts, usually lungs or throat.
- Melanoma--the scary one, can metastasize, but caught early it doesn't spread.
People with a certain heritage (like red or blonde hair) are more prone to skin cancer. That would include most of us Zettlers. At this date, I know at least four of us in Gen 2 and 3 have had it. I have had seven growths removed, all but one were basal cell. I would say that it mostly affects older people, but I had my first one at 25 (they had to shave half my mid-back length hair off, much more traumatic than the surgery!) and my second at 39. The rest have been in the last ten years, including two bouts of plastic surgery on my face, one of which rearranged my lip (gotta love that mild stroke look).
What to do?
- Prevention--WEAR A 45 SPF SUNSCREEN!!! Especially on your face, and WEAR A HAT!!!
- Catch it early--every once in a while check out your whole body (eww!). Have your doctor look when you have your annual physical, although my experience has been that a regular doctor won't see all of them. So if you're suspicious, see a dermatologist. And then keep seeing them!
- Make sure your kids don't get sunburned. I'm sure my issues came from my sister (who shall go unnamed) taking me to the beach in 1951. But I forgive her...
