Blog Katie Allen May 2023

Spring has finally hit the west coast of Canada, though it’s probably more accurate to say we skipped spring entirely and went straight to summer. Our little town had its second annual tulip festival, and while it may be much smaller than the tulip fields of Amsterdam, it was still so pretty that you just couldn’t resist snapping a few photos.

One thing I have learned over my numerous summer excursions is the interesting realities vascular malformation brings to sunburns. For me, my unaffected side burns uniformly; however, on my affected side, my marks tend to burn, while the surrounding skin only darkens. This means my marks are far bolder, but where they meet the unaffected side, down the centre of my back or torso, they blend in. Sunscreen is an important layer of protection, but with sensitive skin, it can be hard to find one that works. Over years of trial and error, I have found a few even my sensitive skin can handle, namely, infant suncare or aerosol spray. So here’s to more (protected) summer fun and adventures.