Comes a Time When You Need to Think Seriously About Skin Cancer

And if you're a fisherman who wants to enjoy your favorite pastime well into your senior years, the earlier you start thinking about it, the better off you'll likely be. Why? Because skin cancer is on the rise.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed each year. That figure compares to about 68,000 cases of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, which are diagnosed annually.

"Fishing is about spending time outdoors," said the head of a plastic and reconstructive-surgery practice. "And more often than not, most people enjoy fishing when the weather is nice, and the sun is at its strongest. That puts many of America's 50 million anglers (as of 2011) at risk for skin cancer. The more time you spend outdoors fishing, the greater the risk of exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation and sunburn."

Here are some tips for anglers about how to reduce your risk of getting skin cancer without giving up your favorite pastime:

Apply sunblock. Always apply sunblock lotion at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, before you start to perspire, allowing the sunblock to soak into your skin. Repeat several times throughout the day. Use a sunblock with an SPF rating of at least 30 on your arms, legs, face, and neck and a water-resistant SPF of 50+ on your nose and the top of your ears.

Wear a hat. The most susceptible place on your body for skin cancer is your head and face. Whether it's sunny or cloudy out, at the very least, wear a cap with a front bill. Ideally, wear a cap with both a front and back bill (similar to the one pictured here, which is what I've just started wearing on the water) to cover up the back of your neck.

Here's the link to a discussion of another type of hat designed with fishermen in mind that I read about for the first time just today: http://www.wired2fish.com/sunday-afternoons-adventure-hat/.

Cover your head, too, because you can get skin cancer on your scalp, even if you have a full head of hair. Always cover your ears, nose and back of your neck with sunblock.

Wear polarized UV-blocking sunglasses. Wear sunglasses to protect your retinas from harmful UV rays. Sunglasses that wrap around your face offer the best protection. Polarized lenses help cut the glare, help you see more fish, and protect your eyes from flying fishing lures. This is one piece of equipment that every angler should invest in. It's equally important as buying a high-quality rod and reel.

Wear protective clothing. If you have a high risk or history of skin cancer, you should look into protective clothing. Saltwater-flats guides who spend their days in the sun in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and California know a thing or two about skin cancer. That's why, on even the hottest days, they wear long but lightweight, light-colored pants, long-sleeve shirts, caps, gloves, and lightweight shoes. Saltwater guides also rely upon lightweight face and head masks or what downhill skiers call "gators," which they can pull up over the nose, just under their sunglasses and over their ears.

Wear shirts and pants that are specially made to block the sun and wick away moisture to keep you cool while out on the water. Look for shirts and pants that offer a UPF rating of at least 30+, as recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, to protect against harmful UVA/UVB rays.

Avoid sunburns. Repeated sunburns over time can cause significant damage to your skin. That's why it's important to avoid them. Take extra care to prevent your kids from getting sunburned. Severe sunburns as a child are a leading risk factor in developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns happen, though, despite our best intentions. If you receive a severe sunburn, treat the sunburned area with an aloe-based lotion, take cool showers, and if you're experiencing headaches, take a pain reliever.

Stay hydrated. To maintain healthy skin, don't forget to stay hydrated while fishing by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and avoiding wind burn. When your skin dries out or is not hydrated properly, it's more susceptible to sunburn and long-term skin damage.

Conduct skin cancer self-examinations. If you have a fair complexion, multiple freckles and moles, and experienced severe sunburns as a child, you have some of the leading risk factors for skin cancer. Take this seriously, especially if you spend a fair amount of time outside working or playing. At least once a month, before you get into or just out of the shower, look at your skin. Look at moles and freckles to see if you notice any changes in their shape, size, color, or asymmetry.

Make an appointment with your doctor or a dermatologist once a year, or more frequently, if it's so recommended, to look at your skin as part of an annual exam.

Because of my history, the dermatologist has had me on a six-month exam schedule for a couple of years now. Especially watch moles and freckles on high-risk areas of your body: the face, nose, ears, the back of your hands, and your calves.

It's really not a matter of how "kool" you look or, to a certain degree, how "cool" you feel when you're spending a day on the water; it's more a matter of taking care of your skin so that you can enjoy your favorite pastime well into your senior years. I'm not crazy about some of the preparations I have to go through any more to get ready for a day's fishing trip, but I want to stay on the "green side" as long as the good Lord is willing to let me stay. Therefore, I just do  it.