"If you are in the sun a lot make sure you get checked regularly by a qualified skin doctor."
Now, the BeachGrit peruser is no stranger to the various dangers present in this surfing life. Shark attack, rabid seal, rage-filled local, reef, sandbar, wetsuit rash, angry spouse etc. The fact that each and every reading these words have not hung up the proverbial leash, as they say, a testament to sheer stubbornness and low IQ. Yes, we should all quit surfing, but if we are going to keep on keeping on there is one most important precaution of all, according to surf icon Mark Richards.
The Newcastle, Australia native is a first ballot legend, changing the very game through the late 70s and early 80s. His “MR” surfboard logo becoming synonymous with progression and flair. Richards went on to win 4 World Surf League championships (circa International Professional Surfers) and is, to this day, an innovator.
Thus, when he speaks, we listen and the 67-year-old just delivered a hammer on, possibly, the biggest surfing danger of all.
That sun.
Bubbling and boiling, overhead, shooting radiation toward earth, the sun is nothing to mess with.
Richards explains:
A Basal Cell Carcinoma in the middle of my forehead which was cut out last week. 12 stitches including the internal ones. This one was picked up on my recent skin specialist check up. I hadn’t noticed anything on my forehead, no freckle, discolouration or raised reddish mark.
Stitches came out next week & I’m back in the water.
If you are in the sun a lot make sure you get checked regularly by a qualified skin doctor. Years of sun exposure & damage are catching up with me. Every visit to the skin doctor over the last few years has resulted in something being frozen or cut out. In my younger years the only sun protection I remember are Zinc & a Coppertone brand that seemed like yellow grease. In my later years I have always been good with sun cream or Zinc on my face but rarely anywhere else.
Thinking back I’ve surfed through a lot of summers in boards shorts with my back getting fried.
I now always surf in a wetsuit or Lycra sun shirt, also wearing a surf hat due thinning hair & having a “solar panel” on the top of my head.
Well, what are your thoughts on wearing a surf hat? Have you taken a position yet?
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Meh.
Everyone around my neck of the woods knows that the sun doesn’t cause cancer, sunscreen causes cancer.
Papa John started a lycra hood trend
I bought a hat many years ago and wore it a few times.
What really saved my bacon from getting skin cancer, is not surfing.
It’s really easy. Just give up.
Mind you, the psychological effects might be rather mixed.
1: Family / work duties now rule supreme and you no longer have the selfish, pointless time-suck of having to go surfing.
2: You get fat and have to think of other ways to keep off the kilos which makes you wonder about the time-efficiency of giving up surfing.
Genius. Although that approach can lead to existential meltdowns and ending up right back in water again, or so I’m told, not that I have firsthand experience
Wave count down. Beer count up.
Ha, way way up
Or once you reach empty nester status both can go up. Although too many beers(in my case more than 3 these days) hurts the next morning as does taking a fuck tard’s Wavestorm to the head when they come off the shoulder onto your wave…
Anti hat pro helmet.
just where I live and waves I ride
I saw a SUPboi wearing a helmet with a mounted cam at Doheny Sat morning…and a knee brace
MR’s doc really carves shit up !
on a twinny!
Wounded Gull!
“what are your thoughts on wearing a surf hat?”
Why do you ask? Is it because of aesthetics?
I wear a hat.
Don’t care what fashion whores think.
Also, have you looked yourself in the mirror with a wetsuit on? Talk about fashion choices.
Yep, started wearing a hat after developing a pterygium. Is it ideal, no, but you get used to wearing it after a while.
It’s like wearing ear plugs and booties in cold water. Of course you’d prefer not to but you get used to it
He assumes the sun
Caused his cancer, not Resin
Foam, Wax and Twin Fins
MR’s: Third Eye: “Aten sun! Aten sun! Hello. Is this thing on?”
Thought the same
Glad to hear Mark’s Doc discovered it before it became serious. dodged a bullet
Mark’s a good guy.
Had a couple of these in the past few years. always good to catch em’ early.
The worst part of the treatment is the anesthetic shot. Fricken’ hurts
white mans disease?
BPAB v. MDS
Brown People Are Better v. Melanin Deficiency Syndrome
#Whitepeoplesuck
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Loved some of their stuff
Ohhh who’s racist now Happy?
or……..who’s happy now, Racist?
Should BPs deny global warming to weaponize the environment against their oppressors?
One of many
could leave a Mark on your Richards gentlemen…
We are the chosen ones for any and all diseases…
Brutal..No argument their!
Doggy or cowgirl, whatever