35. Have a skin check at a dermatologist
My skin, for lack of a better term, is pasty. I come from the side of the family that burns when they are bold enough to even think about the sun. My sister bronzes from head to toe in the sun while I hide under any hat, umbrella, tree or cabana that will have me.
Even though I’ve always been pretty cautious, I’ve also managed to get a few epically terrible sunburns in my time. We’re talking blisters, peeling, aloe vera gel and washcloths soaked in apple cider vinegar bad.
I always figured that maybe my pastiness/sunburn history might mean that I had some sun damage and after I noticed a new mole on my right hip last summer, I decided it was dermatologist time. Thankfully, the mole was just a “hey, you’re getting older” thing, but my dermatologist suggested I should come back for a full skin check in a few months. I practically yelled, “Yes! That’s on my 40 by 40 list,” but it didn’t scare her away, so I scheduled.
So, if you haven’t had a skin check at a dermatologist, here’s how it goes:
- You get nekkie
- You put on a gown (my derm needs big girl gowns, I was freezing)
- Derm comes in and shines a light on all your parts that could possibly be suspicious while someone else with an iPad notes those things
- You’re done!
So that’s how it goes! All in all, I was at the office about 15 minutes. She didn’t find anything to be concerned about, told me whoever put my sunscreen on me growing up did a great job (thanks, Mom!) and to keep up with my daily sunscreen wearing.
As I get closer to 40, it’s always good to have a reminder to take care of myself. What are you doing to make sure you’re taken care of?