Burned To A Crisp

What about hair and lips?
Lips are a prime breeding ground for skin cancer, says Dr. Jaffe, because golfers forget to apply a lip balm with SPF protection. "It's skin, too," he says. If you forgot a hat, shame on you. But you can spray an alcohol-based sunscreen into the scalp to keep from scorching the top of your head. It's perfectly safe for hair. And don't forget the skin behind the ears. Dr. Jaffe says those areas get pummeled by the sun.

What should I be looking for in hats and clothes?
Nearly all golf-clothing manufacturers offer merchandise that has UPF protection. "In the early years, I wasn't aware that normal clothing didn't protect me from the sun," says Greg Norman, whose apparel company offers sunscreen materials in its clothes. "I distinctly remember playing the Australian Skins in the '80s in North Queensland and suffering intense sunburn through my shirt."

I'm on medication, and the label says to avoid the sun. Is it still OK to play golf?
Generally, it's still OK to play, says Dr. Brod, but you should consult with the prescribing physician to be sure. If you're in the sun while taking these medications, be sure to wear protective clothing.

What should I do to protect my skin when I'm not playing golf? After the round? Rainy days?
Retinoid creams (Avage, Renova) can reverse some sun damage when applied regularly, says Dr. Brod. "Topical antioxidants also might reverse some of the damage. I also recommend applying sunscreen no matter what you're doing. Driving in the car, for example, is a prime way of getting too much sun exposure."

YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?
By Hank Haney

Photo: J.D. Cuban

Take my advice: If you're a golfer, you should go to the dermatologist every six months to a year. Why so frequently? One time I noticed a spot on my face that looked like a zit. Six months later, it was a white spot that wouldn't go away. They tested it, and it turned out to be skin cancer.

So my doctor performed Mohs surgery (see "How is skin cancer removed?") and dug out the spot, which left a hole the size of a dime on the right side of my face. After that he cut a triangular patch on the top and bottom of that circle, then closed it all together. The guy worked it right into a wrinkle in my face, and you can hardly notice it now.

I have the biggest problems on the right side of my face, most likely because it got more sun than the other side. When you stand on the range for as long as I have, and the sun comes up a certain way and you face the same direction for a lot of years, you're bound to have trouble.