Golfers and Protecting Their Skin - The Skin Trade

For those of us who have been visiting dermatologists and, perhaps, surgeons for the past few years the recollection of Andy North's serious surgeries a few years ago should be reminder enough.

But there seems to be some sort of magic in evidencing a rosy glow or a deep tan; especially in the dead of winter. Andy North didn't always look the way he does now and it took more than a couple surgeries to get him put back together after the melanomas were excised from his nose, face and ears. Serious stuff.

I'm told that most of these nasty bumps are the result of overexposures that are 50 years old but it isn't too late to prevent unnecessary damage. My face has been cut and frozen several times in the recent past and I will probably undergo a chemical peel over the winter to avoid more serious future procedures. We Scandanavian types just aren't made for these latitudes and from what I've heard about the peeling process, it's not for the faint of heart.

The Aussies seem to have come up with a protocol which bodes well for the future well-being of the largest organ on our bodies. It's very simple: Slip! Slop! Slap! Slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen and slap on a wide-brimmed hat. I've been wearing a Tilley hat lately and it is reputed to provide a UPF rating of 50+.

Combined with my newest tube of SPF 85 sun gunk, I hope to be adequately protected for the duration as I've seen the light, so-to-speak.

Since summer has officially begun in Wisconsin please forgive this unsolicited and incomplete advice but do yourselves a favor as you tread the fairways of Ozaukee County during the golf season. Henry James said that the two most beautiful words in the English language were "summer day".

Enjoy them with impunity; Slip! Slop! Slap!