[coug]

Curious what others are using for sun protection on face. Just had a 2+ inch diameter hole cut out of mine for skin cancer. Figures because I have lived and worked outdoors all of my life. Wife now wants me to start wearing buffs because I am pretty bad about remembering sun screen. I do know I may retire my ball camps when fishing and go with a new hat with better protection for ears and neck. So what are others using? Maybe something that comes up can help someone else avoid a 3" scar across their face.

 

[CSFT]

First I'd be inclined to recommend the classic "Updowner" developed by Lefty Kreh many years ago for protection when fishing in the tropics. Still a great design and it offers extensive protection.

Other than that, look at fishing hats on Amazon...HUGE selection that offer all manner of protection options!!

 

[wstcstbob]

I'm not always great with sunscreen either so I second your notion to get a buff. They are pretty great and companies have their variations for warmth or to keep you cool. they are nice because they are pretty thin and can easily go under or over a hat, depending on the style you get.

Something else that I have really liked is the super lightweight hooded long sleeve shirts from those like Patagonia/Simms. They have some decent cover with the hood and they have thumb holes in the sleeves to keep the material over the top of your hand. I always seemed to be getting some burn their until I started wearing these shirts. On top of that they keep me cool and are a lightweight option.

There is a ton of stuff now it seems to help keep cover while in the sun and I always seem to see folks on the river with different combinations of stuff to keep the sun off. So get whatever you think will work with your needs/style.

 

[eriefisher]

Sorry to hear about you trouble with cancer. I am the worst person for sun protection. I can remember the last time I used it. I do tend to wear hats on occasion. But that's about it. My family background is native so I tend to have darker skin. It seems to just get darker in the sun. I'm usually good for one good burn a year though.

Dan

 

[woody-wood]

Living in Australia and fishing over the summers we live with the constant need to protect the skin.

It feels like you burn walking to the car from the house some days over summer. When fishing I wear Simms sun gloves, a long sleeve button up shirt, Buff and cap. The only area exposed for long days fishing is the fingers, nose and upper cheeks. I apply nude zinc to the nose and face before putting on the Buff and sunglasses.

The last few days we have had temps of 113 degrees F.

Easier to cover up and slap on a bit of sunscreen than having to undergo surgery to remove cancerous spots.

 

[raspberry-patch]

Simms Sungaiter. Skin cancer is family trait on my wife's side, and we both cover up. We wear these in the North when searching for Trout and Pike and in the Tropics, not always, but most of the time. In the north, I will go hours without, but if Judy is outside for more than 15 minutes, she covers up.

Finger gloves to long sleeve shirts and sun hoodies. Never wear shorts.

Her father has notable facial features altered from operations (nose and ear parts are missing). Judy's fourth operation, they cut from top of nose bridge, down the nose to lip, pull back, removed the cells, place flap back, stitched up. The plastic surgeon did a marvelous job and scars are gone and things shifted well. In her words, she did look like Freddy Kruger and got tired of people staring in that she wore the mask to hide for several months.

I developed some appreciation from those that return from war zones with injuries, as I saw my wife deal with the emotional burden of being cut up. Things are good now, but yes cover up.

 

[Eastside]

I’m a cancer survivor myself, having dealt with four relapses of lymphoma and chemo treatments over 16 years, culminating in a bone marrow transplant nearly 5 years ago. After the transplant, I was cautioned to be VERY careful with the sun. I use sunscreen with zinc oxide, my favorite is this one. BUT I also use wide brimmed hats, Buffs, and long-sleeved fishing shirts, my favorites being from LLBean. Cover up and protect yourself! Since the transplant, I’ve had one spot removed from my nose and I am increasing my effort to avoid exposure.

Mark

 

[mitchaka2fish]

I tend to fish gentlemen's hours... afternoons into the evening.
I also stick to the shade. I'll foolishly call it prowess.

sod wearing all that sun gear (off the ocean)...

cheers,
shawn

 

[DryflyBum]

This is a great topic of discussion!! Thanks for raising it, Coug.

In 2011, a very good friend of mine who worked as an excavation contractor lost his life due to melanoma. My friend was a big refrigerator-sized man, and I and others considered him totally invincible. This was a wake-up call for me, because I realized if this could happen to him, then what chance would a pipsqueak like me have. So, I found a good dermatologist (a fisherman himself). The first several visits for me were pretty much cut and stitch or liquid nitrogen freezes on face, chest and hands to remove damage I’d done over four decade in the outdoors.

Now, when I’m out fishing during the warm months I pretty much look like those people in Raspberry-patch’s pictures. I use a 50 UPF sun hoodie (Simms, Patagonia, and Columbia), a buff, ball cap, and sun gloves. I put 70 to 100 SPF sun screen on my nose and cheeks and I pull the hood up over the whole thing. When steelheading I wear the hoodie and neck buff under my warmer jacket. I really like the sun hoodie because it cuts out the peripheral side glare off the water surface, which enhances your vision through polarizing sun glasses. I wear 50 UPF pants too in summer when wet wading. I’m so covered up, seeing me you couldn’t tell my gender, race, or guess my age bracket – totally incognito!

I have one of those wide brim sun hats too, but frankly I like the ball cap and hoodie combo better because I feel it covers my neck better, offers more protection from reflective sun, and stays on my head better in the wind or in a fast moving skiff. Also, my buddy has less chance of hooking my hat when fishing in the raft – lol!!

 

[MHC]

Covering up (head to foot) is advisable whenever the sun shines while on the water, not only during warmer weather.

I favour wide brimmed Tilley hats, one pale synthetic/ crown ventalated, the other Harris Tweed with fold down ear flaps, plus a neck buff to protect the cheeks, neck, nose and lips (which I hear can be vulnerable) and as mentioned, gloves always. Reflected light off the water can be a particular problem.

As we become older and health issues happen to friends and loved one's, one tends to take notive. Though (fortunately) having no such issues myself, I do remember my doc. once mentioning that our early experiences as children playing outside, uncovered and without sun protection, can come back to haunt us later on in life. The skin never forgets, apparently.

We are fortunate these days to have so much clothing available to us, plus attitudes have changed so we are encouraged, as can be seen on this thread, to cover up, which for me feels more comfortable in any case.

Malcolm

 

[Big Tuna]

Shelta hats. Wide brim, cool (as in temp.), and the brim in from is plastic so it holds up in the wind.

 

[kootenaybow]

Lots of good info above. Plenty of companies making excellent sun gear. I used to always forget my buff, or lose it somewhere in the house, so the wife bought me 1/2 dozen, so I put them in my gear bags and pocket. When it's hot, I soak the buff in the water then put it around my neck.

Long sleeve breathable shirts with collars that pop, sun gloves and glasses, hat works for me. Also, for the face, I like to pack a 'stick' style sunscreen, they can come as small as chapstick, great for the nose, cheeks and ears, with high UPF, sometimes only the 'kid' kind is in this form in the stores.

 

[GR8LAKES FLYER]

coug, really sorry to hear about your misfortune. A speedy recovery

Great topic and makes me do a check on myself. I guess I have been somewhat fortunate, all those years for lack of better protection and care. Goes to show you that if you don't protect yourself, there will be repercussions.
For the warmer months, sounds like wide brim hat should be on my list ... maybe even a buff ?? My wife will like that :hihi:
My wife does hound me about the UV protection cream, I should listen to her more often ...
Thanks for the post, I needed a wake up call.


Mike

 

[raspberry-patch]

As Kootenaybow stated we have spare gloves, hat and masks ( buffs). Spare in the car-boat, spare in our kit (sling) and those on us. If you forget, there is a spare. If lost in the wind, there is a spare.

I found the selection of sun screen in Oz much better here in Canada. Ever since, I prefer some that include zinc.

 

[Eastside]

As Kootenaybow stated we have spare gloves, hat and masks ( buffs). Spare in the car-boat, spare in our kit (sling) and those on us. If you forget, there is a spare. If lost in the wind, there is a spare.

I found the selection of sun screen in Oz much better here in Canada. Ever since, I prefer some that include zinc.

Great advice! Covering is the best option. My oncologist told me to use sunscreen with zinc.

Mark

 

[Wetwader]

Thank you for this post and your warning coug !
I always feel sad to be warned by others with serious health issues. Hope you and others here, writing about their stories will recover soon. Wish you all the very best !

Of course we should take care when fishing or for any outdoor activities in general from the beginning. But most of us didn’t in the past. And I for myself I didn’t hear to my wife too. I didn’t like any kind of sun screen.
Until now I came away fairly well with only some minor skin damages, some small extractions at head and body. Just for safety as recommended. Nothing seriously. I am sure this was only luck.
Time has gone by and I changed my mind some years ago, after the last skin extraction on my Kojak like head, although I always was wearing fishing hats or caps. I didn’t pay enough attention to proper sun protection, given by the material itself and how it is done nowadays with clear declarations (30+/50+)...

A lot depends of the location and the kind of fishing, what should be done best. As already said by others, lots of good material is available meanwhile.
I don’t like buffs or hoodies for hot summer fishing all too much, but always carry one buff in the jacket and one in reserve. They are very well adaptable.
Eye protection is a must. Wearing glasses I found cocoons to be the best solution for me. I like them that much, I take them for the car also and since then, never needed additional and expensive optical sunglasses again, just to be stored in the car and to be exchanged regularly.
After some research I bought a cap with a foldable neck extension from Field and Fish some years ago. It covers neck and ears nicely without overheating when in motion. There is always air around. If not needed, the extension can be folded away into the cap. The cap itself can be folded down to half size and is in my jacket for every walk outside. Highly recommendable for very warm weather or any kind of outdoor activities.
For further warm weather equipment I did a research for protecting the arms and found the Simms sun sleeves. No fishing at the moment. Time for tackling up... I ordered them one week ago and I am still waiting for them. The planning is, to cut fingerholes in them, to cover the upper hands too (comparable to some Patagonia shirts which I found to be a very clever idea). But no experience so far to share here. The hope is to avoid sun gloves. I tried gloves for sun protection, but it felt too much for me and my fishing needs.

Of course there should be done more when fishing at locations with more sun exposure. But for my freshwater/river fishing I hope it’s enough with this.. and a fair amount of the sun screen now my wife always recommended...

 

[Greenbuttbomber]

skin

Mine was 2 2/2" across my cheek. Man, just thought it was a mole....
Big brim hat and at least a 25 with UV and dermatologist stated something with zinc in it. Back of the hands are really exposed so goop those up too.
I have been warned too by my dentist (as well as dermatology Dr) to protect lips......
Gotta do this stuff!!
Best
L

 

[Skol Bandit]

Get a buff. They're great. Sun Screen chemicals are bad, supposedly, contribute to degradation of reefs, etc.