Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
The sun has never loved me. It's sad, but true. No matter how much I worship the sun, it's not kind to me. As a teenager, I remember my ninth grade year rushing home after school to lay in the sun. I slathered baby oil all over my skin and baked in the sun. The result was purplish skin not the bronze look enjoyed by others with olive complexions. Once I had recovered, I tried again with Hawaiian Tropic still hoping for that beautiful brown. No such luck... I only turned red and a week later I peeled like a lizard. I gave up for the summer and after a few other attempts during my teen years, decided I should be happy being fair skinned.
Unfortunately, that knowledge seemed to escape me on my honeymoon to Maui. I got sun stroke after spending two hours on the beach. If you've never had sun stroke, believe me you don't ever want to experience it. I didn't stop shivering for hours. It took a lot to get my body's thermostat back to normal. Instead of just purple, this time my skin was purple, swollen and the most tender parts were covered with blisters. It's amazing they didn't scar.
It's been 27 years since then. On our family vacation to Hawaii last week, I wore a 70 sunscreen and spent hours snorkeling, swimming and hiking in the sun. I reapplied often and other than a few tiny singed spots that somehow I forgot, I am just light brown. Even Scott last week said I didn't look very tan for having spent 7 days in Hawaii.
I thought I had escaped the sun's wrath! Finally, I had learned to coexist with the sun. Then I saw a picture of me taken at a family event on Sunday. I noticed a brown sun spot just below my lip. A sun spot or an age spot whatever you want to call it! Good grief! The sun and I just can't be friends. I am officially declaring it my enemy. I just hope it's not too late. Heaven forbid that spot should be the beginning of skin cancer.
