eye of the tiger...

this wound required a visit to the doctor and a metal plate in the face, result of sibling rivalry. jeez brothers... relax and take a dip in the pool. waterfall, beer with lime and salt, and aqua short vibes to you...

leg

one of my very best lady friends sustained this black-n-blue while assisting me on a bike-bound- seeking of sweet summer sausage...

bruised ego...

mike gay...

stoned squirrel

dropped a stone squirrel on her foot while working on her summer garden:(

Toe Nailed

The hot summer sun can really make you slow your roll, especially when the day involves working on your tan, fighting for personal space in douche stew ("our" neighborhood pool was invaded by creepy bridge and tunnelers), and having a mojito or three. This boozy bunny fell up a flight of stairs and tore off the top of her freshly-painted ped. Blood red just might be her perfect shade this season since she recently sliced off the tip of her finger, too. Shameful summer wounds...

dirt tan

a friend just returned from a 3 week trip to  breezy portland. alighting the plane, she was greeted with a hot humid wall of texas heat...ssw.

first on her list of settling back into the routine of home was to tackle the weed fest and grass jungle leading to her front door. the tortures of yard work during the middle of summer in texas are plenty; poisonous weeds, jerk-hole mosquitoes, and weird-o havalinas.

m. discovered another summer yard work hazard. while trimming her lawn to prepare for a mid-july porch party she procured a sticky hot dirt tan. dirt tans sometimes may be the last resort when attempting to get some summer color, but they come with countless drawbacks. umm...obviously, they are just plain dirty, they itch, they smear onto the skinny white jeans of cute boys, and as m. has illustrated, they give you funny boot lines.

bicycle boys, always good for ssw...

this shirt was not purchased at UO, nor was it made by a crafty pony during tie-dye class in a cute studio. this shirt was the result of j's recent bicycle related injury. so tuff!

do doc's offer color options for stitches...glow in the dark!!!

fingered

poolside pedi

this summer sailor was wounded during a routine pedicure:(

ashey skin

smokes are gross because they make your pretty pink lungs turn to tar pits, yellow your once pearly smile and they swaddle you in a smoggy stink.  this young lady took the hazards of smoking to a new place. while kneeling down to tie her moccasins she managed to stick her knee in a texas sized ashtray of smoldering tobacco...sizzle.

triangles...

this little pony (and her heavy handed waxer) did major damage to her natural hair line. bikini lines are one of the most debated summertime trends. anyone with a pass to the neighborhood pool knows that a well groomed medium (not tiny) triangle is the new brazilian. triangles rule! pyramids, tipis, and tricycles! just think about the powerful symbol of the triangle throughout the ages. the triangle is first and foremost associated with the holy, divine number of 3. it is through the tension of opposites that the new is created, the third. in astrology represents the most positive of the aspects, the trine, or the angle of 120 degrees between planets, but it is also used to represent the astrological element of fire. this poor gal went through the pain of an overall wax and will surely have some ingrown hairs to tend to before her lady bits are once again accented with a sweet chevron...

bloody hell

Having the B.S.E. sometimes requires liberal amounts of libations. Last Saturday, the scene went from sweet to sour in a blood-beat when one of the "Heathers" accidently color coordinated her fingertip with the handle of a knife while cutting lemons and limes. What's a S.S.S. to do? Drink the pain away, of course.

water stains (aka pool crotch)

not sure if this counts as a wound, but it is definitely a pool/beach hazard. those padded bikinis add dimension, but they hold a ton of water resulting in unwanted lactation-esque fashion mishaps. and damp crotches are so not hot. oh hon, use that hand dryer in the bathroom and fix yourself.

toe jam and thumb blister...

my friend left brooklyn for a fourth of july adventure. he returned with broken thumb blister from holding the throttle too hard on the motorbikes through the woods and a broken toe as a result of taking a turn too fast and skidding out on gravel...skidzzzzz.
p.s. someone needs a pedi:)

spandex burn or thigh high hoes?

this secret summer wound is kinda cute!

summer bites

not! summer rules! but this young thing got bitten, and not by a jerky mosquito. secret summer wounds...

summer bummer

this gal sustained some serious gravel bruises while riding around the lake. she is a novice cyclist...still learning how to clip in and out of her pedals. summer bummer.

sweet action

my pool pal got some sweet summer action this past friday night, but was left with some love bruises:(

cactus beware

how to remove a splinter or cactus needle (common summer wounds).

sun kissed

sun burned (Angelina Jolie) lips...

1. Mix a dab of honey with brown sugar and massage lips with a toothbrush. Sugar is a naturally abrasive exfoliant, and honey contains an exfoliating enzyme, as well as a mild antiseptic that kills bacteria and a natural humectant that helps the skin retain moisture.
2. Another natural exfoliant is sugar cane, a source of glycolic acid, which exfoliates and hydrates. You can make a paste of sugar and olive oil and massage it on your lips with a toothbrush.

Natural moisturizers like shea butter, beeswax, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or hempseed oil, all of which can naturally penetrate the skin are great to have in your pool purse.

water ski blister/skin flap

this sweet hand was damaged by a water ski rope burn. sadly, it was reopened during the weaving of a dream catcher during pool side craft. therefore, a few days have been added to healing time. maybe some aloe...

mojito throat clog and mud blister...

a minty throat choke due to unfamiliar straw and floating leaves in alcoholic beverage...

mud blister. this unfortunate wound occurred while hiking into the wilderness to view a illuminated pollution cloud...

secret summer wounds

this is a very imortant message...

when most people think of a pool, they think of relaxation or fun, but did you know that taking a dip in a chlorinated swimming pool can actually have a positive impact on your skin? wounds, such as minor cuts, abrasions, or burns, can benefit from contact with chlorine. although further studies are needed to substantiate chlorinated water's effect on skin, many people affirm and enjoy the positive effects every summer.

Read more here.