Debunking Misinformation About the Sun and Skin Cancer: A Survivor’s Perspective

Oct 22

Hello my wee sun bunnies! 🌞 It's on my heart to share my experience with melanoma and shed some light on common misconceptions about the relationship between the sun and skin cancer. Trust me, there are PLENTY.

Growing up, I remember spending countless hours under the bright summer sun, armed with only a bottle of Coppertone 4 sunscreen, applied only when my parents stopped playing cards and put their beers down. Ahhhh, the good old days!

My Scottish heritage was no match for the sun's intense rays, and my parents' lack of awareness and education meant I spent countless hours under the sun unprotected, resulting in numerous blistering sunburns. You know, the kind where the end result was your big sister peeling sheets of your fair fried skin off your back.

I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma at age 44. But let's get one thing straight - IT WASN'T THE SUN THAT CAUSED MY CANCER.

My skin cancer was the result of those sunburns, my Irish genes, and a lot of stress and worry, all working together to create the fertile ground for cancer to grow in my body.

Misconception 1: The Sun is the Enemy

As a skin cancer survivor, I've had to sift through much misinformation about the disease. It drives me NUTS when I hear doctors or organizations people count on for accurate information DEMONIZING the sun as the primary cause of skin cancer. That's like saying guns kill people when the person who pulled the trigger is responsible, not the gun itself.

The sun is the gun in this metaphor, a potent force that, if used wisely, can be beneficial to our overall health rather than harmful.

Misconception 2: Sunscreen is Always the Solution: The 19 Billion Dollar Myth

The sunscreen industry has done an incredible job keeping us all scared shitless, created a fear-based narrative around sun exposure. The industry's projected growth from today's $14.4 billion is projected to rise to $19 billion by 2030. This isn't to say sunscreen is bad, but it doesn't take a genius to follow the money and realize there is profit in fear-based marketing.

The Skin Cancer Foundation is HEAVILY supported financially by the sunscreen industry. I’ll just leave that there.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the uncanny resemblance to how the dairy industry funds breast cancer awareness despite studies linking dairy consumption to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Misconception 3: Avoiding Sunlight is Healthier

Avoiding sunlight to prevent skin cancer can result in a lack of vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health, immune function, and mental wellness. Studies show a link between vitamin D deficiency and depression, suggesting that complete avoidance of the sun could potentially lead to other health issues. In addition, the lack of Vitamin D and the blocking of the sun's healing rays can contribute to developing cancer and mental illnesses due to mitochondrial dysfunction.

In conclusion, the sun isn't our enemy, and sunscreen isn't always our savior. It's crucial to strike a balance - get enough sunlight for vitamin D synthesis but protect your skin when the UV index is high. Remember, knowledge is power, so please don't fall prey to fear-based marketing and misinformation like I did. ☀️👒

The Dangerous Beauty Standards: A Silent Killer

From a young age, I was bombarded with society's idea of beauty and attractiveness, which equated tanned skin with sexiness. As a pale, freckled, red-haired Scottish girl, AKA a "Ginger," I felt pressure to conform. I baked in the sun with nothing but baby oil on and was a regular at my local Planet Beach "health spa," feeling so good about the great value I was getting with that monthly unlimited package! To think I was sitting in a cancer-causing coffin of light, then soaked in their EMF-producing sauna, thinking I was doing GOOD THINGS for my body - YIKES.

While the sun isn't the direct cause of skin cancer, tanning beds are another overlooked culprit. Studies have shown that using indoor tanning beds before age 35 can increase your risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 59%.

This is a staggering statistic that underscores the importance of educating ourselves and our loved ones about the real dangers associated with tanning.

Embracing Change and Scars

When I was diagnosed with melanoma, it wasn't just a health scare - it was a call to redefine my concept of beauty, educate myself, and live my life from a place of knowing and confidence rather than fear.

As a melanoma survivor, I now flaunt my scars and am thankful for the life-changing knowledge I've gained from them. I use my journey to spread awareness about the risks of tanning, the potentially life-saving need for regular skin checks, and harnessing the sun's healing medicine safely. I will continue to use my experience and voice to educate others so they don't make the same mistakes I did.

I hope my story can help dispel myths about sun exposure and skin cancer and inspire others to love their natural beauty. You don't need tan lines and skin to be sexy. BEING SMART, HEALTHY, AND ALIVE IS SEXY!! My journey with skin cancer has taught me to cherish my fair skin and to give a big f!@*k you to societal beauty standards.

So CHEERS to life lessons, embracing our scars, and living without fear. Remember - there's no shame in a scar. It's proof that you were stronger than what tried to hurt you. So #getnaked and get checked – early detection can be a lifesaver.

Sherry Nicols

I stand in gratitude always, grateful for the valleys that allow the peaks, grateful for the storms that allow the sun to shine, grateful for the broken path that led me to the journey back to my authentic self and the ability to be in service to others.

I am beyond grateful for the opportunities to have been at my loved ones’ sides, holding their hands, honored to be given the gift of walking them home. I am thankful for meaningful spiritual relationships I now have with each of them, and for their guidance, visits, and UNDENIABLE messages that show me that they haven’t gone anywhere….they’re all just done with their meat puppets.

Never let one moment, good or bad, define you or your journey. Embrace the peaks AND the valleys. Roll around like a puppy in clover when you’re at the peak and learn to not give a fuck when you are in the valleys.

You won't be there for long and that climb back up is where the magic happens….your growth.

🍀🍀🍀Namaste🕉

https://www.sherrynicols.com