Dr. Zamani Talks Sun Protection
As a pathologist, my mother was constantly looking at skin biopsies. And as a young, pre doctor Maryam, I absolutely loved the sun and having a ‘healthy’ looking glow to my skin. Terrified of skin cancer and sun damage, she would constantly tell me to stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, and to stop using a sun bed (yes, I used to visit a sun bed multiple times a week- it makes me cringe today). The two did not mesh well, and unfortunately, I did not listen to my mother, and have spent a large part of my 40s combatting photoaging signs caused by mis informed youth. I should not say it was misinformed, my mother informed me, but sadly, I did not listen. Ladies (and gentleman) do as I say now, not what I did, and always wear sunscreen and minimise exposure to the sun. It is the number one skin ager, and cause of multiple forms of skin cancer.