That's Fit

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Are you aware? I am, as I look at my husband's left hand, fresh out of surgery to remove a squamous cell cancer, in all of its stitched and bandaged glory. I am aware when I look at my pale, pale skin and attempt to cover up as much as possible before heading out into the blazing Florida sun. I am aware when I lather my blond-headed little boys with sunscreen, hide in the shade at my neighborhood pool, and think back to all the skin cancer-y spots my grandma was forever having frozen off her her aging body. I've had a few frozen myself. And my sister just last year had two basal cell cancers carved right out of her chest. Her scars are constant reminders of summers spent basking on the beach.

Skin cancer should not be taken lightly, no matter how strongly you believe the disease won't happen to you. Of all the cancers out there, you might think this one is no big deal. You'd be wrong. Just ask Miss Melanoma who lost a toe because a mole on her foot turned up as melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Ask anyone battling the disease and fighting off death. There were an estimated 59,940 new melanoma cases in the U.S. in 2007 and 250,000 cases of squamous cells carcinomas, the second most common type of skin cancer. Basal cell cancer, the most common form, strikes one million people each year.

Skin cancer should alarm you. Because if left undetected, it can kill you. Awareness is key. So do you part this month. And every month. Inform yourself. Your family. Your friends. All the information you need -- how to prevent it, how to detect it, how to treat it -- can be found right here at The Skin Cancer Foundation.

If you've got a little cush in your tush and are thinking about dropping a few pounds, you might not want to go too lean, because U.S. researchers announced yesterday that a type of fat that accumulates around the hips and bottom may offer some protection against diabetes.

Subcutaneous fat -- the type that collects just under the skin -- seems to help improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar. We're not talking visceral fat -- the kind that collects in the abdomen and can raise the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It's the fat that deposits down lower that appears to shelter some people from metabolic disease.

So, not all fat is bad fat. Celebrate that pear-shape if you have one, then. And consider yourself lucky.

If you've read some of my other posts, you know I'm a fan of gardening and the resulting goodness: flowers, food, herbs, etc. I'm also a big fan of house plants, which, I believe, are supposed to evoke a sense of bringing the outside in and, thus, a sense of calmness and freshness. An aura that's anything but stressful.

But I find that sometimes keeping up with watering and caring for house plants can actually be a bit stressful, and therefore can cancel out a bit of their peaceful properties. This is not true if you choose succulents. I've had succulents I didn't water for an entire season that are still flourishing in their respective containers, so you don't have to worry about keeping up with a regular watering schedule. They don't get those unsightly brown, and dare I say, stressed, leaves. They require very little care and give big payback, in my opinion. One of the more well-known in this plant family, aloe, can even heal wounds as well as protect and beautify skin.

Beyond that, various types of these delightful little living things are perfect for adorning your windowsills, bathroom vanities, and other nooks and crannies throughout your home. And sometimes they can please the eye just enough to take the edge off of an otherwise frazzled day.

In most cases, staying healthy requires that you do something. Work out, watch what you eat, etc. All said, it's clear that it's much easier to be unhealthy than it is to be healthy. But one of the few cases when not doing something is actually better for you is smoking cigarettes.

There have been numerous studies on the ill effects that smoking has on the human body. From your lungs to your skin, smoking will do a number on you. And, in some men, it can even cause erectile dysfunction.

Now, as for not doing something -- that is, not smoking -- the effects are almost immediate. Within 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure will lower. After two weeks, your circulation will improve and your lungs become more functional. What do you say? Is it time to quit?

Thinking of ways you'll save your skin this summer when the sun's rays come beating down upon you? Don't forget the standards: Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm, use sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, steer clear of artificial sources of ultraviolet light, and wear sun-protective clothing when exposed to sunlight.

Wearing clothing that offers UV protection can be more effective than using sunscreen alone, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Look for clothing that offers an ultraviolet protection factor of at least 30 -- it will offer six times more protection than a t-shirt.

Columbia Sportswear offers one option for those seeking to shield themselves from the sun: The Seaside Stretch Tunic with UPF 40. It costs $48 which may seem a bit steep. But the savings your skin will enjoy may be well worth the price.

Got any recommendations on UPF clothing? If so, leave a comment and we'll share your suggestions with our readers.

If you've got a skin lesion larger than six millimeters in diameter, it could be melanoma, says a new study finding that supports the widespread use of diameter guidelines to screen for this deadly cancer.

The "ABCDE" screening method looks at five characteristics of melanoma: asymmetry, border irregularity, color variegation, diameter larger than six millimeters, and changes in a lesion. Some experts caution that looking for only the six-diameter skin spots will cause doctors to miss smaller melanomas. But the researchers involved in this study do not recommend a downward revision of the D criteria at this time.

I say pay attention to each and every one of your skin lesions. Consider the ABCDE components yourself and seek medical attention for anything that seems out of the ordinary, regardless of size, just to be safe. Be sure to see a dermatologist every year for a skin cancer screening. And be safe when you're in the sun by avoiding the rays between 10 am and 4 pm, wearing sun-protective clothing when exposed to sunlight, using sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and avoiding artificial sources of ultraviolet light.

Check out this National Council on Skin Cancer site for more on preserving your skin.

Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, 37, was recently diagnosed with skin cancer. He is fine, he reports, and is thankful his suspicious-looking mole, which turned up as cancer, has been removed from below his right eye.

Says McGregor: "You have to be careful if you're pale-skinned and spend any time in the sun,"

On March 25, CNN newsman Anderson Cooper shared that he had a similar scare, followed by minor surgery to remove a spot of cancer from under his left eye. And last week, Bruce Springsteen's E Street Bandmate Danny Federici died of melanoma. He was 58 and had battled the disease for three years.

It amazes me sometimes how technology is always searching to create new chemicals and compounds to help us look younger and take better care of our skin when sometimes the best products are based on the most natural things.

Have you ever considered lily extract for soothing and balancing out problem skin? I admit I haven't, or at least hadn't until I read this article over at Natural Health. Most commonly used for its fragrance, lily extract also has antioxidant and antiseptic properties that make it a natural for skin care. It moisturizes, softens, clarifies, and even minimizes pores.

Look for for "lily extract" or "tincture of lily flower" on the label.

I have been both shivering with disgust and giggling my head off all day today. I grabbed the March 31st issue of OK! magazine off the rack at my gym this morning to keep me company as I ran on the treadmill, and I nearly fell off from laughing. Ugly Betty star, Vanessa Williams, admits to having almost smeared urine all over her face in an effort to get rid of acne.

Oh my! Acne is stressful and embarrassing I'm sure, but I think my face would have to be falling off before I considered doing that! Apparently, someone told her that urine cures acne and she almost followed through with it. Her confession suggests she put her valuable "morning urine" in a container, but just couldn't follow through with applying it.

In most parts of the U.S., the sun is starting to shine a little more brightly, encouraging us to come out and play. Not only does the warm weather get us all frisky and ready to tackle all kinds of fun outdoor activities -- a change of season is also a reminder to take a look at our current skincare routine to make sure we're still meeting our skin's needs.

It should go without saying, but I'm still going to say it -- first and foremost, make sure you're applying sunscreen every time you go outside. Hats and sunglasses will help protect your face from sun damage, too, but it's a good idea to get into the habit of applying a moisturizing sunscreen every morning.

When it comes to cancer, the general rule is this: If you're under 40, you're risk of developing it is minimal. But there's a certain type of cancer that you're more likely to develop if you're under 35--Malignant melanoma. Yep, skin cancer.

According to this article from the Daily Mail, people under 35 who use tanning beds are 75% more likely to develop skin cancer than everyone else. 75%! Those are some frightening odds. Don't get me wrong -- tanning any time in life is dangerous, but it appears that young skin is more vulnerable to the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. And you know what else? Tanning kills. So if you're still heading to the tanning salon, I just have one question for you: Are you nuts?

Want healthy skin? Then you need to be proactive, say the Mayo Clinic experts.Why? Because skin becomes thinner and more wrinkled as we age, oil-producing glands grow less active, and the number of blood vessels decrease.

Skin becomes more and more fragile with the passage of time. Here's how you can keep it looking youthful.

• Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours -- that's 10 AM to 4 PM -- and wear protective clothing, and use a sunscreen with an SPF greater than 15. Be sure to apply 20 minutes prior to going outdoors.
  
  

• Don't smoke if you want to minimize aging and wrinkling -- smoking accelerates both.
  
  

• Wash skin gently with warm, (not hot) water and minimize your time spent bathing. Avoid harsh soaps -- my dermatologist recommends Dove -- and irritating additives. Pat your skin dry.
  
  

• Moisturize regularly to maintain moisture levels. Moisturizers provide a seal over your skin to keep water from escaping.
  
  
• Shave carefully to avoid skin irritations. For a smooth shave, press a warm cloth on your skin before shaving to soften the hair. Apply shaving cream, lotion, or gel to protect and lubricate skin. Shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it. Rinse skin afterward with warm water. If shaving leaves your skin irritated, avoid alcohol-based products.

Whether it's on your face or your legs (or elsewhere...), razor burn is downright unpleasant. Interested in finding out how you can stop razor burn in its tracks? I recently came across this article with some helpful tips on how to prevent it:

• Make sure you're using a clean, sharp razor. Ditch the one you picked up years ago, and only use a disposible one when it's absolutely necessary.
  
• Don't go against the grain -- shave in the same direction the hair is growing.
  
• Shave in or after the shower, and make sure the area you're shaving is thoroughly wet--dry hair is too difficult to shave
  
• Try using a shaving cream or oil -- soap and water shaves are too harsh.
• Don't shave run the razor over the same area over and over -- this will lead to irritation.
  
• Don't shave immediately after getting up -- the skin is too puffy to get a good shave. On the other hand, don't spend too long in the bath before shaving -- your skin gets too wrinkly
  

Of course, if you do get razor burn, it's not the end of the world. Apply an Aloe Vera lotion twice a day and your skin should be rash-free within a couple of days. Or, try using a tea bag, as Bethany suggested a while back.

Trying to save face? No, not in the normal, reputation preservation sense. Rather, are you literally trying to save your face? With the exception of cosmetic surgery and Botox injections, there really aren't any ways to truly stop wrinkles from forming on an aging person's face. That being said, however, there are ways to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Creams and moisturizing lotions help to keep skin from drying, which helps to some extent. This method, of course, is far from a secret. But, a lesser known reason for wrinkles (and, correspondingly, a lesser known method of reducing their appearance) has to do with what you're sleeping on.

Unlike cotton pillowcases, those made of satin will better allow your face to slide more smoothly and do not sap away much moisture from your skin. As a result, your sleep lines will tend to be less dramatic and your face will appear less wrinkled.