Skin cancer and SPF
I sat with undiagnosed skin cancer on my arm for YEARS.
There was a patch of skin on my arm that was flaky and itchy. It was relentless and would not go away regardless of treatment I tried to clear it up believing it was dry skin.
At a GP appointment to have it checked, it was mistaken for eczema and I was told it would be absolutely fine and not to worry about it. I brushed it off and paid it no mind going forward aside from applying moisturiser here and there in an attempt to stop the dryness.
A stern talking to from my friend Katie convinced me to get it looked at again but, sure I'd be palmed off with the same explanation, this time I decided to go privately using Michael's private health insurance. It was determined I needed a biopsy and within days I was diagnosed with Bowens Disease - a type of skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma).
I was very lucky that the cancer had stayed where it was and hadn't spread, so was a simple procedure to remove and also two treatments of a light therapy, to ensure all cells under the biopsy area were also taken care of. But it was definitely an eye opener for me!
SPF
Suncream is an everyday product used in our house now, even when the sun is minimal or non-existent I protect my skin with SPF and, the hotter or brighter a day is, the higher the factor. Yesterday I used a 30 in the morning and a 50 in the afternoon at the beach.
I thought it important to share here some signs and symptoms of skin cancer as most people are only made aware to check for moles and not other skin changes that can signify cancerous cells.
It was a very scary time for me, as I didn't know what was going to happen and obviously hearing that dreaded C word "cancer" puts an immediate worry in the back of your mind even if you try not to let it.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
According to Cancer Research skin cancers can look very different and the symptoms can vary. Some of the symptoms are similar to other conditions. Common symptoms of skin cancer include a sore or area of skin that:
- doesn't heal within 4 weeks
- looks unusual
- hurts, is itchy, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks
Their website states that you should look out for:
- A sore that doesn't heal
- An ulcer
- A lump
- Red patches
- Freckles
- Moles
This doesn't mean every freckle or mole on your body is skin cancer, it's usually changes in them that can point to it *maybe* having cancerous cells. You can find out more information about each individual symptom or sign by looking on their website here: