Skin Cancer

[Deleted member 397]

I'm frequently amazed at the behaviour of some on the camino with regards to protection against skin cancer. Here in Australia we are especially vulnerable due to the hole in the ozone layer over us and antarctica.For the last 25-30 years we have had extensive warnings about not protecting yourself against the sun.Yet on the camino many Europeans-especially northern Europeans would not onle take no precaustions against the sun but actually cook themselves, often at the hottest part of the day, on lawns or around pools at various towns and refugios. Serveral years ago the Brits passed the Aussies(based on per capita) for skin cancers. This is a consequence of cheap air fares/hulidays to areas such as Spain where Brits go and bake themselves to lobster red and now seem to be reaping the consequences with skin cancers.
I realise that to northern Europeans the sun is an alien object rarely seen but it defies common sense to expose yourself to the sun.Even walking I saw many many walkers with bright red limbs using no sunscreen at all.Don't other countries have sun sense promotions?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I saw a program on television yesterday in which a physician was speaking on this topic.
We are afraid of skin cancer, so we use sunscreen.
As a result of the sunscreen, we have Vitamin D deficiencies.
My goodness! We can't win! :lol:

Hahaha!

But I agree.. the Spanish sun is strong and it seems smart to wear a hat, sunglasses (if you like them), and either sunscreen or as in my case (b/c I cannot wear sunscreen), a long sleeved lightweight shirt. I actually found a light white pajama top and slit the arms along the bottom from the wrist to the underarm. That way it covered my skin where the sun hit, but I got a nice breeze.

In one way or another, pilgrims should prepare for sunshine as well as rain.