I'm Bringing Pasty Back
I wrote this for my Health Promotion class. It was one of those papers you finish and then have no idea if you've managed to convey any kind of coherent or convincing point. If nothing else, it was amusing to write. Piece out!
I’ve got to be honest with you. I am white - really, really white. I’m the kind of white that reflects sunlight and blinds innocent bystanders. One of the dangers of being as pale as I am (aside from the afore mentioned blinding of oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and small animals) is the infamous sunburn.
Now, I know ultraviolet radiation is generally not such a great thing for your skin. I know that I burn easily, I freckle, I have moles and a family history of skin cancer. All of these things are, funnily enough, risk factors for skin cancer. I also know that skin cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Canadians aged 20-44. And, in spite of all of my infinite knowledge, the first truly sunny day of every year, I go out and get miserably sunburnt.
So I set out to discover why I continue to turn myself into a toasted marshmallow - burnt to a crisp on the outside, white and gooey on the inside - despite mounting evidence that this is not a great idea. I developed several theories.
Theory #1: I am invincible and the rules do not apply to me.
This is a marvellous theory and I see no flaws in my logic whatsoever. The only rules that apply to me are the Laws of Thermodynamics, and gravity, and possibly the laws of Canada, and SFU’s academic honesty rules and maybe some of my Mom’s rules....and pretty much every other rule ever written.
Theory #2: Cancer is for old people.
I’m 21. I haven’t been around long enough to rack up points on the Carcinogen Game Show. Except that UV radiation starts bombarding our lovely little cells as soon as we’re born. In 21 years, you could probably beat the high score if you really tried. And lots of people do, which is why skin cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in young adults.
Theory #3: Tan’s are pretty!
Societal constructs of beauty are funny things. In Victorian times, pale skin was considered a sign of wealth and beauty; to be pale meant you did not have to work outside as a manual labourer. Certain East Indian and Middle Eastern cultures still hold the same view of pale or “forsha” skin. If you compare Canadian society, most jobs force us to work indoors, even during the summer months; the people sporting tans are the ones with leisure time to spend outdoors or the money to go on tropical vacations. We view tanned skin as having a beautiful, healthy glow when, in reality, a change in skin colour signifies damage to the skin. And frighteningly enough, even after your tan is gone the sun damage remains; it’s like a gift that keeps on giving.
Not to go against social norms or anything so daring, but I would prefer not to look like a leather handbag at the age of thirty because I spent a little too much time working on my “healthy glow.” We’ve all seen those girls who spend a little too much time in the tanning beds and come out with a decidedly orange Oompa Loomba-like skin colour; I would take pasty white over Oompa Loompa orange any day. Besides, if I really felt the need to get a golden tan, they’ve developed these lovely products called sunless tanners that work pretty well without all the premature aging and sun damage.
Theory #4: Sunscreen is sticky and slimy and gross.
My big beef with sunscreen is the persistent feeling of getting greased up to compete in a Greco-Roman wrestling tournament. I decided there must be a sunscreen out there that didn’t elicit the troubling mental images. So I went hunting... in the sunscreen aisle at my local drugstore. There are a lot of options in that aisle, let me tell you! They’ve come up with sunscreen in sticks, sprays, and different colours in addition to the old standby lotions. My criteria for a good sunscreen included an SPF 15 or above, UVA and UVB protection, water resistant, Canadian Dermatology Association approved, inoffensive scent and consistency, and under $20. I’m pretty sure you are not supposed to sample sunscreen, but that’s what I did and surprisingly enough there are a couple of sunscreens that made the grade. There are some decent products from Ombrelle, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic, and Banana Boat; who knew there were so many options?
Theory #5: It’s not that sunny, I will be fine without sunscreen for a little while.
This theory can be pretty persuasive, or at least it was until I started paying attention to this UV Index business. Apparently, they developed this scale to tell you how strong the UV radiation is and then give recommendations for sun safety based on the UV Index. Ratings in the Lower Mainland look something like this,
Category
UV Rating
Time of the Year
Recommendations
Low
0-2
Mid October through February
Wear sunscreen when outdoors for more than an hour.
Moderate
3-5
March, early April, late September, and early October
Wear sunscreen when outdoors for more than 30 minutes.
High
6-7
Late April, May, late August, and early September
Wear sunscreen when outdoors. Sunglasses, hats, and long clothing are also recommended. As is seeking shade when possible.
Very High
8-10
June through mid August
Wear sunscreen when outdoors. Avoid the sun between 11am and 4pm, when UV rays are strongest. If you must be outside during these hours wear sunglasses, hats, and long clothing and seek shade when possible.
Extreme
11+
This doesn’t generally happen in Canada
So, after disproving all of my theories, I have decided to bring pasty back. I don’t want to look like an Oompa Loompa. I don’t want skin the texture of leather. I don’t want to go the same route as my Dad and have a pie-shaped wedge of my face and lip removed because I got skin cancer. Everyday the UV index is at or above a moderate rating, I throw on some sunscreen after I get out of the shower and then the bottle goes in my bag, in case I have to reapply (sunscreen protects for 10 x SPF rating, so my SPF 15 lasts for about 150 minutes). It’s not hard to do. It doesn’t take any extra time. And at the end of the day, I have to wear this skin for the next 70 years; I’d kind of like to keep it in good shape.
I’ve got to be honest with you. I am white - really, really white. I’m the kind of white that reflects sunlight and blinds innocent bystanders. One of the dangers of being as pale as I am (aside from the afore mentioned blinding of oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and small animals) is the infamous sunburn.
Now, I know ultraviolet radiation is generally not such a great thing for your skin. I know that I burn easily, I freckle, I have moles and a family history of skin cancer. All of these things are, funnily enough, risk factors for skin cancer. I also know that skin cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in Canadians aged 20-44. And, in spite of all of my infinite knowledge, the first truly sunny day of every year, I go out and get miserably sunburnt.
So I set out to discover why I continue to turn myself into a toasted marshmallow - burnt to a crisp on the outside, white and gooey on the inside - despite mounting evidence that this is not a great idea. I developed several theories.
Theory #1: I am invincible and the rules do not apply to me.
This is a marvellous theory and I see no flaws in my logic whatsoever. The only rules that apply to me are the Laws of Thermodynamics, and gravity, and possibly the laws of Canada, and SFU’s academic honesty rules and maybe some of my Mom’s rules....and pretty much every other rule ever written.
Theory #2: Cancer is for old people.
I’m 21. I haven’t been around long enough to rack up points on the Carcinogen Game Show. Except that UV radiation starts bombarding our lovely little cells as soon as we’re born. In 21 years, you could probably beat the high score if you really tried. And lots of people do, which is why skin cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in young adults.
Theory #3: Tan’s are pretty!
Societal constructs of beauty are funny things. In Victorian times, pale skin was considered a sign of wealth and beauty; to be pale meant you did not have to work outside as a manual labourer. Certain East Indian and Middle Eastern cultures still hold the same view of pale or “forsha” skin. If you compare Canadian society, most jobs force us to work indoors, even during the summer months; the people sporting tans are the ones with leisure time to spend outdoors or the money to go on tropical vacations. We view tanned skin as having a beautiful, healthy glow when, in reality, a change in skin colour signifies damage to the skin. And frighteningly enough, even after your tan is gone the sun damage remains; it’s like a gift that keeps on giving.
Not to go against social norms or anything so daring, but I would prefer not to look like a leather handbag at the age of thirty because I spent a little too much time working on my “healthy glow.” We’ve all seen those girls who spend a little too much time in the tanning beds and come out with a decidedly orange Oompa Loomba-like skin colour; I would take pasty white over Oompa Loompa orange any day. Besides, if I really felt the need to get a golden tan, they’ve developed these lovely products called sunless tanners that work pretty well without all the premature aging and sun damage.
Theory #4: Sunscreen is sticky and slimy and gross.
My big beef with sunscreen is the persistent feeling of getting greased up to compete in a Greco-Roman wrestling tournament. I decided there must be a sunscreen out there that didn’t elicit the troubling mental images. So I went hunting... in the sunscreen aisle at my local drugstore. There are a lot of options in that aisle, let me tell you! They’ve come up with sunscreen in sticks, sprays, and different colours in addition to the old standby lotions. My criteria for a good sunscreen included an SPF 15 or above, UVA and UVB protection, water resistant, Canadian Dermatology Association approved, inoffensive scent and consistency, and under $20. I’m pretty sure you are not supposed to sample sunscreen, but that’s what I did and surprisingly enough there are a couple of sunscreens that made the grade. There are some decent products from Ombrelle, Neutrogena, Aveeno, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic, and Banana Boat; who knew there were so many options?
Theory #5: It’s not that sunny, I will be fine without sunscreen for a little while.
This theory can be pretty persuasive, or at least it was until I started paying attention to this UV Index business. Apparently, they developed this scale to tell you how strong the UV radiation is and then give recommendations for sun safety based on the UV Index. Ratings in the Lower Mainland look something like this,
Category
UV Rating
Time of the Year
Recommendations
Low
0-2
Mid October through February
Wear sunscreen when outdoors for more than an hour.
Moderate
3-5
March, early April, late September, and early October
Wear sunscreen when outdoors for more than 30 minutes.
High
6-7
Late April, May, late August, and early September
Wear sunscreen when outdoors. Sunglasses, hats, and long clothing are also recommended. As is seeking shade when possible.
Very High
8-10
June through mid August
Wear sunscreen when outdoors. Avoid the sun between 11am and 4pm, when UV rays are strongest. If you must be outside during these hours wear sunglasses, hats, and long clothing and seek shade when possible.
Extreme
11+
This doesn’t generally happen in Canada
So, after disproving all of my theories, I have decided to bring pasty back. I don’t want to look like an Oompa Loompa. I don’t want skin the texture of leather. I don’t want to go the same route as my Dad and have a pie-shaped wedge of my face and lip removed because I got skin cancer. Everyday the UV index is at or above a moderate rating, I throw on some sunscreen after I get out of the shower and then the bottle goes in my bag, in case I have to reapply (sunscreen protects for 10 x SPF rating, so my SPF 15 lasts for about 150 minutes). It’s not hard to do. It doesn’t take any extra time. And at the end of the day, I have to wear this skin for the next 70 years; I’d kind of like to keep it in good shape.