By Samantha Viechec
Ever since I was a little kid, I hated sunscreen. It was always too sticky, and I didn’t like the way it felt on my body. But as I’ve gotten older, I knew I needed it; but still didn’t care about it, until this past spring break.
My friend and I went to the beach, and I put sunscreen on all the parts I thought were important; my arms, head, face, chest, back, and stomach. However, I didn’t put any on my legs because they usually don’t burn, so I thought I was fine. But boy, was I wrong; the front and back of my legs got so burnt the bottom half of my body looked like a lobster. Of course, I didn’t feel the burn until after I got out of the shower, but as the days went on, my sunburn got more red and painful. It was at the point it hurt to walk, sit, and even move. I had already been applying aloe and all the other lotions everyone said would help, but it didn’t ease the pain much. In a desperate attempt, I took a milk bath and that sort of helped in a way.
My mom has always told me that if I did not care for my skin and refused to wear sunscreen, I would eventually develop skin cancer. I just brushed it off and told her I would be fine and that it wouldn’t happen to me; but ever since I got this sunburn, I’ve taken into consideration that it really could happen to me.
So, I started doing research about skin cancer and the negative effects of not wearing sunscreen, and I thought I would share it with everybody else; just so you know, the sun won’t take it easy on anybody.
Margaux Reese, the writer of 7 Effects of Not Wearing Sunscreen & What to Do (2023), states that the “7 negative effects are: skin cancer, premature aging, sunburns, skin discoloration, dry, leathery skin, scarring, and immune system suppression.” If you are experiencing these symptoms for a prolonged amount of time and the remedies are not working, you should seek medical attention as it could save your skin and health. Reese also shares tips for practicing consistent usage of high-quality sunscreen. She recommends, “wear sunscreen every day, choose the right type of sunscreen, use enough sunscreen, and always reapply.”
Arguably, going into the sun without sunscreen for an hour is the same as holding a big lighter to your body for an hour. Those are two different things but inevitably have the same effect; you will get a painful burn. You can still go outside and have fun, but it is important to remember the dangers of not taking care of your body. I hope everyone has fun times and makes good memories while it is warm outside, but please remember these dangers and ways to prevent them from happening. Stay cool!