So, can you get melanoma from sailing? Yes, exposure to the sun increases your risk of Melanoma. Sailors are not exempt to these risks. Sailing, like other time spent in the sun DOES increase your risk of Melanoma skin cancer? If you have spent a lot of time outdoors, your risk increases. The time I spent sailing when I was in High School may have contributed to me getting skin cancer, but there is no way to know for sure exactly why I developed melanoma.
So if you are like me, you don’t like to dwell on the negative. You may even want to click off this post because it isn’t the type of article you typically read. This is my public service announcement. I hope you read on. It may save your life. It may save your child’s life.
Why Should Sailors Know About Melanoma?
Melanoma is the most-deadly form of skin cancer. It is most often caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds. Sailors spend a tremendous amount of time outdoors, exposed to the sun, surrounded by water. UV rays do reflect off the water and increase UV exposure. Sailors may therefore have a higher risk of melanoma and other skin cancers. I believe that if we would survey sailors (especially older ones), we would learn that skin cancer is more common than we know about. The younger sailors can take preventative measures now, to save them a world of troubles later in life.
If you are a sailor with skin cancer (melanoma or others), please tell us about your experience in the comments below. Are you still sailing?
How Did I Get Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is believed to be a cumulative total of UV exposure over your lifetime. My dermatologist’s theory is that most of the damage was done during my childhood. Continued exposure because of my love of the outdoors including being on and around the water, may have contributed to it. When I was a child and young man growing up in Michigan, we didn’t use sunscreen very often. We didn’t wear rash guards or shirts with UV resistance. I spent most of my summers running around the neighborhood without a shirt on. I remember getting sun burned several times each year. During high school, I spent many Sundays on a sailboat on Lake Michigan listening to Casey Kasem on the radio count down the top 40 hits in America. If we were on a boat or at the beach, we may have worn some sun screen, but there were also times that we used tanning oils. I even went to a tanning salon (tanning bed) a few times prior to going on spring break trips, where I spent the entire week in the sun.
My Melanoma Story
In 2015, after a routine check-up, my family doctor referred me to a dermatologist for another routine check-up. I have lots of moles which may put me in a higher risk. I hadn’t been to a dermatologist for a few years. In my first appointment, I had a mole removed. As a precaution it was sent to a lab. A few weeks later, I received a phone call and had to return. The mole was precancer. This isn’t medically correct, but basically is a mole that showed abnormal cell activity. That abnormal mole put me on the dermatologist’s three month plan – skin checks every three months.
When Did I Receive My Melanoma Skin Cancer Diagnosis?
In 2016, at a three month follow up appointment, another abnormal mole was removed. A month passed and no call from the dermatologist was good news. We were preparing for our first bareboat charter leaving from Placencia, Belize. It was going to be an epic sailing trip. I had lived in Costa Rica for several years prior and heard a lot of great things about Belize. I couldn’t wait to go there and explore both on land and sea. One week before my trip, I received the call.
“Hello, this is Dr. Carson. Sorry that we haven’t called you sooner, but your lab results came back with abnormal activity. We sent it to another lab for a second opinion. The pathology report came back today. You have melanoma. We need to schedule a follow up appointment and remove a larger area around where the mole was removed.”
There was a long pause. “Ok,” I said. “Thank you.”
We set up the appointment after my trip – about a month later. I hung up the
phone. I felt numb. My mouth was dry. My mind was blank. Cancer? Me? Up until
now, I have been very healthy. No medications. No real issues other than the
flu every few years, a cold once a year. That’s about it. Cancer?
I started googling, M-E-L-A-N-O-M-A. I really didn’t know much about it. I heard something about it. I remembered a scene where Kramer on The Seinfield TV show pretended to be a doctor once to tell a guy about a mole on his back so that he would get it checked out.
I read the scientific definition. “Most dangerous form of skin cancer.” “Rapidly spreading”
What is My Life Expectancy?
What is the life expectancy of someone with stage II melanoma? I googled, life expectancy. I have a family. Two school age boys. A wife. I am too young to have skin cancer (in my 40’s). Way too young to die. Google says the life expectancy is 70% in 5 years. I read it again. “Five-year survival rate is 70%.” I repeated it in my head. That means that I have a 30% chance of dying in the next five years. That is a very strange feeling. For the first time in my life the thought about death was real. Death is something that is supposed to happen when you get old. Maybe something to think about before you go sky diving. I was only in my late 40’s – not very old!
Belize Bareboat Sailing Charter Vacation
Needless to say, the Belize sailing vacation wasn’t as great as it should have been. Belize was amazing. The sailing was amazing. Our catamaran was amazing. The snorkeling was amazing. The island hopping was amazing. The time off from work was amazing. Our friends on the catamaran were amazing. The cold Belikin’s (local beer) were amazing. All the time I had to think about having cancer – not amazing. I spent the entire trip running from shady spot to shady spot to shady spot. I bought a big hat with a neck cloth, long sleeve shirts, long pants, lots of sunscreen with the highest SPF I could buy. It went on like car wax. I was edgy. I was scared. I’m sure I wasn’t the most pleasant to the others on the boat. I didn’t tell anyone, except my wife about the cancer.
How is My Health?
I was one of the lucky ones. My cancer turned about to be stage II. I had three lymph nodes removed. There was no evidence of the cancer spreading. I have since had other moles removed. Some were abnormal. No others were Melanoma. At this writing of this article, I am cancer free! Part of my follow up cancer prevention, I have bloodwork (tests) every six months, check x-rays every six months and see an oncologist annually. During every appointment, he tells me how lucky I am and that in his line or work – he sees very few patients where he is giving good news.
Melanoma; Do You Need to Completely Avoid Being Outdoors?
My doctor has recommended no more sun. I wear hats when I work in the yard, attending sporting events or spend any time outdoors. I wear long sleeve shirts with UV protection. I wear sunscreen. I try to avoid middle of the day direct sunshine. I decided that I would take precautions, but I am not going to turn into a vampire (sleep during the day – up at night) or live in a cave like a bat.
How Can Sailors Minimize Melanoma Risks (and other skin cancers)?
Sailors can minimize their melanoma risks. I believe that awareness will lead to prevention and it is the reason I am writing this article. By that I mean that when you become aware of unnecessary time spent in direct sunlight, you are more likely to minimize your time spent in the sun. Notice I didn’t say don’t go outdoors or avoid being outdoors. I didn’t say stop sailing. I didn’t say stop living. If possible, avoid mid-day direct sun when the UV rays are the strongest. And go see a dermatologist once each year for a top to bottom skin check. This saved my life and it could save yours.
What Can Sailors Wear to Help Prevent Skin Cancer (Melanoma)?
First and foremost, wear sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30. Wear long sleeve breathable microfiber shirts. The water wicking fishing shirts are great. Wear them and you will feel much cooler than when you are wearing cotton. Pick ones that have UV protection. Wear a buff to protect your face and neck when you are on the water for extended times. I learned about buffs from our charter boat captain when fishing in Costa Rica (those guys are on the water every day – all day). Wear a hat. I have caps, medium size hats and big brim hats. Depends on what I am doing and, also on the wind conditions. The big hat doesn’t work well on windy days (prime sailing days). Use a daily moisturizer that contains sunscreen. There are many over the counter products that are affordable. Melanoma can affect your eyes also so wear sunglasses with UV protection.
How Can Sailors Protect Their Children from Skin Cancer (Melanoma)?
Even if you decide that you are not going to heed my advice and think you are invincible and that melanoma skin cancer will never affect you (I know, I used to think the same way and I hope that you are correct), please protect your children. There is no reason, in this day-and-age, that a child should ever get a sun burn. Make them wear a rash guard, hat and sunscreen. Get into the habit and it just becomes the norm. You may save their lives. Worse yet, failure to protect your children will most likely affect them later in life. Teach your children to have fun outdoors, but also to protect themselves!
Why Should Sailors Take Vitamin D (Supplements)?
Sailors and non-sailors alike should have their vitamin D levels checked. Part of my cancer prevention routine involved routine bloodwork every six months. My blood tests showed that my vitamin D levels were low. This could be from less time spent in the sun or that my body is Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D helps to prevent disease and may help to prevent skin cancer. I know this sounds crazy. We get vitamin D from being in the sun. We are told to stay out of the sun to prevent skin cancer, yet we need vitamin D to prevent skin cancer. I take vitamin D supplements. Ask your doctor about whether you should be taking vitamin D and if so, how much you should be taking.
Am I Going to Give Up on Sailing (a Catamaran)?
No. I am not going to stop sailing. I am not going to stop living, however, I am no longer in denial that skin cancer is a real threat to myself and my family. I am going to be aware of UV exposure and take many of the steps in this article to minimize the risk to my family and myself. In fact, I am more motivated than ever to live more and do more. I want to sail around the world and experience amazing sights, food and cultures. I want my children to experience the world, not just through books, television and other YouTubers adventures (and some of them are really amazing), but to be able to see, touch and smell and make amazing memories.
What are More Facts About Melanoma?
- Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer
- Skin Cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States
- In 2019, almost 200,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma and over 7,000 Americans will die from it.
- Melanoma can develop in other areas than the skin like your feet, nails, mouth, eyes, scalp and anywhere on the body.
- Melanoma is the leading cause of death in women ages 25 to 30 and second leading cause of death in women ages 30 to 35 and ages 15 to 29.
- Approximately 500 children are diagnosed with Melanoma each year.
- Most melanoma cases diagnosed are white men over 50 years old.
- Over 1 million people in the US have melanoma.
- Risk of getting melanoma is 1 in 40 for caucasins and only 1 in 1000 for African Americans.
- Every year approximately 2,000 new cases of ocular(eye) melanoma are diagnosed.
- Five blistering sunburns can boost your chance of developing melanoma by 80%.
- Avoid tanning beds. Young people that use tanning beds are 8 times more likely to develop melanoma and exposure to tanning beds before age 30 has an increase of 75% for developing melanoma.