Naturism and Skin Cancer

[JRo62]

I have been wondering if anyone who has been living the naturist lifestyle for several years has had any occurance of skin cancer?

About 3 years ago, I had a suspect mole removed from my back, which turned out not to be cancerous. However, I was told that if left alone that it would become cancerous in a few years. The strange thing is that I don't have a history of sunburn or getting very tan in the summer.

I read an article recently in Reader's Digest that suggests exposure to sun could reduce the instances of death by cancer. The research studied death certificates of cancer deaths in relation to geographic location. It showed that there were fewer cancer deaths in areas of the country that get a lot of sunshine vs. areas that don't, such as the northern areas of the country. This was attributed to the natural production of Vitamin D by the skin being exposed to the sun.

So, this leads me to ask the question, do nudists get skin cancer?

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
JRo.

[JRo62]

I have been wondering if anyone who has been living the naturist lifestyle for several years has had any occurance of skin cancer?

About 3 years ago, I had a suspect mole removed from my back, which turned out not to be cancerous. However, I was told that if left alone that it would become cancerous in a few years. The strange thing is that I don't have a history of sunburn or getting very tan in the summer.

I read an article recently in Reader's Digest that suggests exposure to sun could reduce the instances of death by cancer. The research studied death certificates of cancer deaths in relation to geographic location. It showed that there were fewer cancer deaths in areas of the country that get a lot of sunshine vs. areas that don't, such as the northern areas of the country. This was attributed to the natural production of Vitamin D by the skin being exposed to the sun.

So, this leads me to ask the question, do nudists get skin cancer?

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
JRo.

[luvnaturism]

Well, sure nudists get skin cancer?but it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being nudists.

After my hair started thinning, and well before I was doing much in the nude, I let my scalp get some pretty good sunburns. Now I too have pre-cancerous growths that have to be removed. Long before I became a naturist I figured out that my scalp has to be protected any time I'm in the sun, but of course the damage was already done.

Think about how much skin is exposed by the typical swimsuit. Then consider how much additional skin naturists expose. It isn't a lot more, and it involves sensitive areas that most people realize they need to protect. Yes, there are exceptions?there is no requirement that you have to have common sense to be a naturist.

Apart from my bald scalp, my primary skin cancer risk comes from severe sunburns I got when I was a kid. I've never had a significant burn during the years that I've been a naturist.

I too read the RD article, but I may have just skimmed through it. I don't remember the study about less skin cancer in areas of higher sunshine; I just remember it was advocating getting enough sun to allow the body to produce the necessary Vitamin D. I do think that people who live in the tropics and subtropics have a better understanding of the power of the sun?and the need to protect yourself from the sun?than people who live further north.

[Trailscout]

I also had a precancerous mole removed, but it came, I think from a bad sunblister I got 30 years ago in the tropics.

Free radicals, pale skin and a weakened immune system have a big role to play in skin cancer. If you eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits you can help your body repair the everyday damage that occurs.

I have also heard that vitamin D prevents some forms of cancer. Your body will make it from sunlight, but you can also get it from eating ocean-going fish, liver, drinking enriched milk or taking vitamin supplements. Moderate sun exposure on skin may also provide other yet unknown health benefits.

I live about 34 degrees north of the equator and it is wise to avoid the sun when it is high in the sky. If you stay inside between 10 and 4, you avoid the worst of it.

Many of us do wear hats to protect the scalp, ears and face and to prevent heat stroke.

[luvnaturism]

quote:

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Originally posted by Trailscout:
[qb]
I have also heard that vitamin D prevents some forms of cancer. You can get it from eating ocean-going fish. . . .
[/qb]

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Now the new issue of Readers Digest warns against eating large fish such as salmon and swordfish (the ones near the top of the food chain) because they are loaded with mercury.

I either have to start living on twigs, leaves, and grass or stop reading. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img]

[Vin]

quote:

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Originally posted by luvnaturism:
[qb]I either have to start living on twigs, leaves, and grass or stop reading. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img] [/qb]

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Or grow your own food and stop reading Readers Digest. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Atlanta Runner]

I am relatively new to naturism but have been living with skin cancer problems for the past 15 years or so since I was 22. I don't tan very easily at all and have been going to the dermatologist every 6 months for 5 years now to have some pre-cancerous spots burned off. I always have to slather on the 30 or 45 block whenever I get outside and I am so jealous of those who can lay out and get that "no tanline" look. I guess it is not in the genes.

The good thing is that there has been a lot of talk about using a Rx skin medication called Aldera for basal cell type of skin cancers instead of the typical method of cutting the skin. Keep your fingers crossed. Until then, keep slathering on the block.

[JRo62]

The Reader's Digest article was speaking of cancer in general, not skin cancer.

My question was really more like "do naturists have a lower occurance of skin cancer, due to more exposure to sunlight?"

I think that just being a naturist would lend to the idea that the body gets more sunshine daily vs. a textile type that would not get much sunshine daily at all. After all, we make a point to get out in the sun where many textiles may avoid the sun as much as possible.

JRo

[Trailscout]

JRo62,

I don't think you can separate the body from the skin. There seems to be a middle way for maximum health. If you get no sun exposure, you are more prone to some types of cancer, rickets and other bone-loss diseases, seasonal affective disorder (for some), and perhaps even multiple sclerosis if I recall. If you get too much sun at one time, skin cancer is often the result. I have also read that excessive sunlight exposure can deplete your body's supply of folate. This causes reduced fertility in men, spina bifida in babies born to women with this problem and can lead to wrinkles and immune deficiency. Dark skin wards off the sun and thence folate loss better than fair skin, but the best thing to do for all people especially those living in sunny areas) is to eat more dark green leafy vegetables and maybe take folic acid supplement tablets.

I eat leafy greens and I also take antioxidant supplements. I avoid the sun during the 10 to 4 window of the summer months and use sunscreen and a hat when I expect to be outdoors for any length of time.

Life seems to be a tradeoff of risks. In order to enjoy being nude outdoors we may take on some extra risks, but if it results in a happier more adventuresome life, I'd say it was worth it.

[missouriboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by luvnaturism:
[qb]...Think about how much skin is exposed by the typical swimsuit. Then consider how much additional skin naturists expose. It isn't a lot more... [/qb]

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I'm certainly no expert on this, but here's what I've surmised just by applying simple bunkhouse logic. Your epidermis (skin) is an organ, the largest organ of the body, and its role is to protect you from the hazards of your environment. It does this by working in concert with your immune system, and many other systems that sustain your health and life.

Now, when you cover any part of the skin, you deprive it of the ability to correctly sense your environment, and respond appropriately. You are confusing it into communicating the wrong signals to those other systems to the point where their response is wrong in turn, resulting in all sorts of maladies in the body as a whole. The skin is a major, major part of the complete system.

Just think of foot fungus from prolonged living in a stinky-sock dungeon, and go from there. See if you, too, arrive at the conclusion that nude is natural, clothes are not, and the result is that nudists should enjoy better overall physical health in the long term, as well as more comfort in the short term.

[Nude\'n\'happy]

I live in Vegas and before I became a nudist, I did have a problem with skin cancer. I came here from an area in Germany that didn't get much sunshine, therefore I was very pale when I got here. After leaving the military, I started working for the Postal Service as a letter carrier. Even though I used sunscreen and wore a hat, I ended up getting skin cancer on my ears after only five years as a mail carrier. I am no longer a carrier. I have been a nudist for a few years now and skinny dip in my pool at all hours of the day. I find that by limiting my time so as not to get burned, I am slowly getting darker and haven't had any further problems with skin cancer. I get regular checkups by my dermitoligist to make sure.