cancer of the skin

melanoma has long been a part of my vocabulary. i have always watched my moles for the risk factors associated with the abcd's (the e for elevation is new to me), i always wear sunscreen or long-sleeved shirts, and i regularly visit a dermatologist. this is particularly important for me because my father passed away from melanoma in 1989, just before his 39th birthday and just before my 5th. melanoma has been a very real disease with very real consequences in my life.

the mayo clinic has this picture on their website which i think beautifully illustrates the dichotomy between sexy, romantic sun bathing and it's very serious consequences.




though i have long been convinced of the importance of protecting my skin, there was more to learn about the cellular processes: i was surprised to learn that everyone has the same number of melanocytes because there are so many different skin tones in the world. but i learned that melanocytes are just the beginning... melanocytes produce melanin in response to ultraviolet radiation. melanin is accumulated in melanosomes which are taken up by keratinocytes and accumulate on the superficial side of the keratinocyte nucleus. this forms a shield for the nucleus to avoid further sun damage. thus, the color of our skin is determined by the amount of sun exposure we have (or that our ancestors had). furthermore, and most importantly, the darker color is a defense mechanism to protect our own skin, but the damage has already been done. the idea that a healthy tan will help protect our skin is false.

maybe someday we'll revert to the beauty standard of the victorian era and people will think that voluptuous, pale women are the bees knees...