I was bronze all summer long, as a blonde child and teenager. Today, I've had a squamous cell carcinoma removed from my face--no sequelae, not even a scar--and am now applying 5-fluororuacil by night, sunscreen by day.
When I was off at college (13 years) and then working all the time, I was never in the sun. I felt victimized. Everybody else (it seemed) was sailing, basking on the beaches, driving convertibles! I'm lucky I couldn't do all those things.
You certainly saved yourself down the road. I was pretty fortunate. I took care of my skin early on. But, was still tan up till 50. Not leather tan, just good color. Never used sun screen. Then I had a stem cell transplant. Chemo and the meds did more aging than any sun did.
I miss the sun. If there’s one thing I could change about having a donor stem cell transplant- it’s being able to enjoy the sun again. The sun and being outside was every bit a part of who I am. I’ll get over it. I have no choice. It’s an acceptance process and figuring out my new life.