Protecting Your Nose from UV

A quest to protect a skin-cancer damaged nose resulted in rediscovering an old mountaineering favorite, the nose guard.

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Two weeks ago I had a good sized lump of skin cancer taken off my nose. Fresh incisions must be carefully protected from UV, prompting this article. When I first went to the dermatologist the spot was nothing more than a small zit that wouldn’t heal. Out of an abundance of caution, I made an appointment, even though my regular skin check was only a month away. I’m 64 years old with no personal prior history, but my father had some spots removed. They took a biopsy, the pathology came back benign, but it didn’t heal and started growing again within days. They rechecked the original biopsy sample and determined that they had goofed, and scheduled Mohs surgery to remove it.

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Drew Frye, Practical Sailor’s technical editor, has used his background in chemistry and engineering to help guide Practical Sailor toward some of the most important topics covered during the past 10 years. His in-depth reporting on everything from anchors to safety tethers to fuel additives have netted multiple awards from Boating Writers International. With more than three decades of experience as a refinery engineer and a sailor, he has a knack for discovering money-saving “home-brew” products or “hacks” that make boating affordable for almost anyone. He has conducted dozens of tests for Practical Sailor and published over 200 articles on sailing equipment. His rigorous testing has prompted the improvement and introduction of several marine products that might not exist without his input. His book “Rigging Modern Anchors” has won wide praise for introducing the use of modern materials and novel techniques to solve an array of anchoring challenges. 

3 COMMENTS

  1. What about stretchy face covers? Gators they’re called? Yes, we see them in photo ops like ICE raids and Mexican drug cartels. But I also see them all over Mexican fishing guides, workers outdoors, kayakers in the sea of Cortez… Also cover ears and back of the neck. Thoughts?

  2. Brilliant chat!! Sorry you went through it but thank you for sharing the evidence based and personal info. We sail far further north than you but it’s a great reminder to wear the sunscreen, the hat, the long sleeves and if need be (we get a bit less intense sunshine than you) the nose/face screen. And a baseball hat doesn’t cover your ears! Take care!!

  3. I wear Smith Pursuit sunglasses which have a removable nose cover, side shades, and a very good field of view they’re great for significant sun protection. I combine that wit Coolibar fly fishing sun hoodie with a built in gator. That setup along with a baseball cap of choice has served me very well.