Was there a message in surviving an hour long cancerous melanoma operation?
In 1999, Capt.Tom Rowland, a professional guide from the Florida Keys, introduced Buff to the world of fishing… you know the rest. A Buff ad image. That’s Tom casting and superimposed on the left.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s we all know, cancer comes in many forms and has no prejudices, but does have preferences when it comes to skin cancer. Does a darker complexion offer sufficient safety from the dangers of the sun? The answer is no.
So, if dying a painful death is avoidable, but you prefer a painful early out, then do not cover up when you’re fishing
My dermatologist, Barry Roseman, MD Surgical Oncologist, Atlanta, Georgia said: ”. . . in 2016 the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed it (skin cancer) is more deadly in people of color. African American patients are most likely to be diagnosed with melanoma in its later stages than any other group in the study.” What about outcomes for that group? He added: “ . . . they also have the worst prognosis and the lowest overall survival rate.”
Background
Back in the day, the late 1990s and before that, avoiding skin cancer was limited to expensive applications of zinc or store bought sunscreens. Several applications of both throughout the day were required, especially in warmer climes due to sweating or just getting wet. Anything, it turns out, below a rated 30 was akin to doing nothing at all.
The other alternative was to wear lots of clothes. Ugh. I hate fishing wearing a raincoat.
Devices to help your sunscreen
Sunscreen is a chemical concoction. It burns your eyes, gets in your mouth and does to you internally God knows what. It’s greasy, gets all over everything and is like razor blades… you need to keep on buying.
Around 2000, a little-known company came up with see-through sock fabric that fit around your neck and could be pulled up to cover your neck, ears, and face. It did not need replacement after use. It was durable, washable, inexpensive and was a no hassle… stick in your pocket accoutrement. But best of all it was SPF 50.
The SPF 50 clothing fabrics took off so fast that today some companies’ whole corporate being is built around that original stretchy SPF fabric. Hardly anyone that is on the water every day has stayed with short sleeve shirts and short pants. SPF 50 rated long pants, long sleeve shirts and hats are the biggest sellers to southern climate anglers. Anywhere now, SPF gloves, once only worn by goofs, are fast becoming a must for guides and prescient anglers.
As a personal preference, wide brimmed hats are still a favorite. If for nothing else, they help reduce glare which hinders vision (dark under brim). Seeing more fish is mo-betta than seeing less fish due to glare.
NOTE: Featured Image is Tom Rowland from the Buff website
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