Skin cancer on top of ears

[Centaurus]

Many years ago I was diagnosed with a skin cancer on the top of my left ear and the doctor was concerned enough to lop of the top of the ear. Now there is a minor difference in size of the ears but there has been no trace of the cancer since. I had been flying in the Pacific area for 12 years in the left seat of a 737 and was wondering if anyone has struck a similar problem after extensive tropical flying. When flying LH seat it is obvious the left ear is quite close to the left window in a 737 and the sun bores in.

[Mac the Knife]

Common place to get skin cancers.

In L hand drive countries the driver (in the RHS) gets it on the right - ears and arm/hand. Vice versa in R hand drive countries.

SLIP - on a shirt
SLAP - on a hat
SLOP - on a sunscreen

[specialrider987]

The exposure to the sun in the cockpit of an aircraft is irrelevant. The harmfull UV rays are absorbed by the glass. That is why one cannot get a suntan indoors behind glass!

Skin cancer is statistically more likely to have come from exposure to the sun when you were a young child and received sunburn(s). It's more likely related to exposure during leisure/recreational/sporting activities outside in the sun.

By the time most baby boomers are in their mid 40s they have had something related to skin irregularities removed or treated.

There is some excellent stuff on the interweb available in the way of photos to assist diagnosis, and treatment options are plentiful.

See a dermatologist for accurate diagnosis/biopsy and most dermatologists will refer to a plastic surgeon for removals/dissections on the face and neck area.

Good luck! :ok:

[HotDog]

An ex colleauge of mine lost his licence because of this condition. At the time of diagnosis it was a solar keratosis but the prognosis pointed towards the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Lost touch with him so I don't know the final outcome. This occured in Hong Kong.

[Haul By Cable]

I have red hair and fair skin and get sunburn in under five minutes if I am not careful. As a result I keep my skin covered up.
In the cockpit however I wear a short sleeved shirt. My right arm is now covered in freckles to above my elbow and the right side of my face has noticeably more freckles and sun blotches than the left! Numerous Captains I have spoken to have had cancers removed from the left side of their noses and ears. :uhoh:
This summer I shall experiment with sunscreen and long sleeved shirts in the cockpit. I have a few colleagues who use the stick on cat face net window visors from Halfords for the number 2 window!

[Mac the Knife]

Lost his licence because of a solar keratosis HotDog? Serious?

If every pilot with a little keratosis lost his licence then most chaps over 50 would be out of a job! :sad:

I scrape/cut/freeze these off over a lunch-hour & people go straight back to work.