Justin Thomas is on a mission.
In 2019, the professional golfer found an irregularly shaped mole on his calf that turned out to be melanoma. And now, he’s set out to spread the word about how wearing sunscreen can help others from experiencing the same health crisis.
“My scare with melanoma was a real wake-up call for me and why I decided to partner with veteran consumer goods managers to launch Wear SPF,” Thomas said. The line, which debuted in the spring, is part of the athlete’s goal to educate and encourage people of all ages to “apply, reapply and go get checked.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Thomas joined dermatologist Dr. Britt Craiglow on a Zoom call to tell his story. “Being a golfer, I’ve been out in the sun all my life,” he said. And since moving to Florida from his hometown in Kentucky to pursue his career, his time outdoors has increased. “I was very fortunate to catch it early and I want to use my platform to spread the word.”
He said that in golf, he often meets people who say he has inspired them or their kids to take up the game, but with this, he believes he can actually save lives. “You can’t compare anything in golf with this,” he said.
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The collection consists of a water-resistant sunscreen spray with an SPF of 50 that retails for $13; a mineral sunscreen lotion with an SPF of 30 for $16; a sport stick with an SPF of 50 for the face and body that retails for $10; a sunscreen lip balm for $3, and an after-sun cleanser for $10. The collection is available online, on Amazon and in golf pro shops. A portion of the proceeds go to the Justin Thomas Foundation, which supports children in need, junior golf and military families.
Thomas said his favorite Wear SPF products are the sport stick or spray because he doesn’t like getting anything on his hands when he’s playing.
Craiglow said getting young people — especially athletes — to realize they need to wear sunscreen is essential since they spend so much time outside in the sun. “This is an opportunity to capture a population that really needs it,” she said.
“As a young athlete, I wish I had known to wear sunscreen all the time,” Thomas added.
But because the scar on his leg is so visible — “It looks like I was bitten by a shark,” he said — other tour players have noticed it, affording him the opportunity to encourage them to wear sunscreen as well. “Everyone I’ve told so far has been blown away,” he said, noting they’re now showing a lot more caution with their own skin routine.
Source: WWD