You know how when you get a new car, suddenly you see that same car everywhere? Or when you’re pregnant, there are pregnant women all over the place? Or when you want ice cream, you don’t have any and everyone else has some?
That’s how melanoma has been for me since my diagnosis almost 2 years ago. Prior to that, skin cancer wasn’t even on my radar – it was always one of those “it’ll never happen to me” kind of things. Now people are coming out of the woodwork (not literally, that would be creepy) and sharing their stories about having moles removed and tested; about having no idea that melanoma, or any of the other skin cancers, could really affect them.
We all know the importance of sunscreen, of limiting time in the sun, of protecting our skin. But how many of us really do the right thing? Be honest, who doesn’t love the way they look when tan – so healthy and alive, right? Of course, having a tan is the exact opposite of healthy, but when I was 10 and oiling up or 16 in the tanning booth or 22 in the backyard or even 34 outside, basking in the sun, I never bothered to think about the actual damage I was doing. Cancer never crossed my mind.
Until I realized the mole on my leg was itchy, and kind of odd looking.
The mole removal became a local area excision, which turned into a wide area excision, which turned into shooting radiation into my leg, and the subsequent removal of 6-8 of my lymph nodes. By the way, that radiation that lit up my cancered lymph nodes? Way more painful than labor and recovering from a c-section. I do not suggest it.
It’s hard though, the sun has been my best friend my whole life! I never used sunscreen, I used tanning oils. Of course, since I’m adopted, I have no idea if it’s genetic or from the sun or a combination. I guess it doesn’t really matter.
Do yourself a favor – look at your body. This is no time for vanity or being embarrassed about it. Have your spouse or a good friend or even the mailman look with you (some spots are hard to see, you know). If you see anything that concerns you, PLEASE go to get it checked out. Go to your regular doctor, a dermatologist or even one of those free screening clinics. And keep looking. Just because a spot has been there forever doesn’t mean it can’t turn bad.
The best skin cancer resource I’ve seen in quite some time is MelanomaMonday. The site has all sorts of resources, including a downloadable body mole map and instructions on how to do a skin check.
I can tell you this – avoiding the sun is (a) harder than it seems and (2) a pain in the ass. Sunscreen is ridiculously expensive, smelly and oily/sticky/slimy. I tend to head for the shade, wear lotion with sunscreen built in every day, and try to stay a little covered or at least keep an umbrella handy. There is no such thing as a safe tan; there is no such thing as “it won’t happen to me”.
I was extraordinarily lucky that I looked down at my leg, that sunny day in July (ironically, I was sunning my legs while the boys played in the driveway) and noticed something odd. The word cancer still stops my breath and throws my heart into my throat when I think about it. I was lucky that it wasn’t worse, that I didn’t need chemo or interferon. I was lucky.
Melanoma is curable in the early stages with over a 90% success rate. Look now, don’t wait.
Dawn is a melanoma survivor who authors the blog PGoodness, as well as chronicling her journey through skin cancer at the site, Defying Melanoma. You can also find her on twitter.
This is SUCH an important message. My Dad is an airline pilot and never realized that the glass in the cockpit didn’t really have UV protection, and at 30,000 feet you are way closer to the sun. After his skin cancer scare he now wears long sleeves and heavy duty sunscreen when he flies, and I’ve begun taking sun protection VERY seriously. I like the Eucerin daily lotion with SPF 15 in it for every day use and the Neutrogena face sunscreen with SPF 70 for my face. I also have spray on sport sunscreen and facial sport sunscreen so I don’t skip out when I work out outside. I go to my dermatologist every 2 years for a skin check and I’m pleased to report she says I don’t have a single suspicious mole despite my PALE skin and sunburns as a kid.
That’s the same lotion I use every day!
Glad you’re checked regularly.
Thanks so much for sharing your story; this is such important information. My dad has several carcinomas and found out last year that he has melanoma as well. I just wrote about having a sunburn yesterday even though we applied and re-applied sunscreen several times.
COVER UP!
I read that! It’s so hard to stay covered in the heat, but sunscreen doesn’t seem to do the trick when at the pool all day! I’m still searching for the perfect kind.
SUCH a timely and important message- thanks for sharing. I’m very lazy about sun protection, even with the kids, and need constant reminder to be vigilant!
Thanks for reading! It is hard to be vigilant about, especially with the kids because they’re always on the go!
I’m so glad you had your mole checked out and that you are doing well. I know at least half a dozen people diagnosed, and thankfully, who have survived melanoma. It is extremely scary to me and I check mine (and my husband’s!) moles all the time. Thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome!
I had melanoma when I was 22. A relative had it and sent out a letter to the family to make sure everyone checked their moles (we’re a moley bunch!). His letter saved my life. Unfortunately, he lost his. Genetics can play a part, but, as you say, protection from the sun is paramount. I am the sunscreen queen.
Thanks for spreading the word, and I’m so glad you caught yours in time for a complete cure!
Glad you caught yours, too!! Wow, at 22 I was still baking in the sun on purpose – that must have been a heck of a wake up call!
I read so many melanoma stories with the same “I thought my tanning was invincible” story, and I want to point out that EVERYONE should get routine checks at the dermatologist, not just those with a history of sun abuse!
My mother was the original sunscreen police, attempting to make up for her childhood of bronzing at the beach. I grew up in an anti-sun, anti-tan family. I have never used a tanning bed, never laid out in the sun for the purpose of tanning, wear a long sleeved shirt at the beach and sit under an umbrella, wear sunscreen every day of my life, and have never ever been even a tiny bit sunburned.
I was diagnosed with melanoma at 26.
If I can get melanoma, anyone can get melanoma. So stop procrastinating and get thee to a dermatologist! And learn to embrace the pale – I know my ultimate reward will come in 50 years when I look 20 years younger than all my sun-worshiping friends will!
You’re right – it can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, people are not as likely to visit a doctor without something wrong, and by spreading the word about checking moles and spots, we can at least get some reluctant people to their doctors.
In a perfect world, we would all have access to all of the doctors we need; until then, keep spreading the word.
I have never been the laying out type. All my friends were sun goddesses, laying out for hours, and I was bored out of my mind after 10 minutes.
But, I am so moley. I come from a long line of moley people, and I know I NEED to get checked, even though I am rarely out in the sun. In fact, after my pregnancy, it seems I am the epitome of moles and skin tags. SEXY, RIGHT!?
I am so honored to be your friend, Dawn, and to see how amazing you are as a person and in your vigilance to talk about this.
And while I could easily embrace my pale, I invested in an airbrush tanner a few years ago, and can now keep my golden glow from the comfort of my own bathroom for pennies. Best investment of my life:)
Thanks, Brittany.
Tis an honor to be your friend as well!
You aren’t kidding – what is UP with the moles and skin tags? Damn kids!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. Definitely a good reminder.
I just had my annual physical today, and I made sure that my doc took a look a couple of mole-like things that are actually just scar tissues that look like moles. They still scare the bejeezus out of me because they’re relatively new (as in, over the last few years, not like the moles I’ve had my entire life). She assured me that, yes, still just scar tissue — “Promise!”
I’m still scared about the possibility of skin cancer, especially as a reformed sunworshipper myself.
Thank you so much for this! I have a couple spots that just this week have become inflamed and itchy and I was realizing I really need to get a referral to a dermatologist to get them checked out. THANK YOU!
Glad you’re checking it out!
I have had so many pre-cancerous moles removed it’s not even funny. Last year some were really deep and bigger…this is very scary. I have to be checked every 3 months right now because they have been finding more and more.
I spend some time every 3 months at either my dermatologist or oncologist.
Glad you’re on top of it.
Thank you for sharing this, Dawn. I’ve had two moles removed in the past two years for biopsies – the most recent I am still waiting for test results. It’s never a nice feeling waiting and wondering if this one will come back cancerous.
My doctor lost her mother to malignant melanoma and is very vigilant about checking them, which I appreciate. I worked through all of my teens and twenties and never wore sunscreen, but these two cases of mole removals have really changed my tune.
It is certainly a wake-up call! Fingers crossed for clear results!
Thank you for this post. I’m 32 and had a stage one melanoma in 2006 on my mid-back, an area that has never seen the sun. Like other posts above, I was not a sun goddess—I opted to worship sun screen instead—so my diagnosis came to me as a shock. I’m predisposed to this disease in my family, and have lost loved ones due to it. I haven’t gone for my checkup yet this year, but this is a great way to urge me to do it.
Glad for you – fingers crossed for a good visit!
My father was diagnosed with malignant melanoma 7 years ago. He has had 5 surgeries and almost all his lymph nodes removed. I would like to point out that IF you are diagnosed and have to go through the surgeries that he has been through..you most likely will not be basting in the sun anymore. All of his melanoma areas were deep and needed skin graphs. Skin graphs do not cover the deep holes all over his body from where they dug the melanoma out. The best example I can think of is a crater the size of a softball and about an inch to 2 inches deep, with the look of burnt flesh on top of it…nice huh? I wish that I could take pictures and post them, but I think they would be to graphic and would possible make some run to the bathroom. Everyone wants to looked bronzed and beautiful now, but they don’t think about how the sun can actually kill you. I try to educate everyone, because I would hate to see anyone else go through what we have been through.
i don’t know if you still checkout comments here but when i was probably 45 or so i had a mole on my face that was ‘growing’ and once got blood filled so i fianlly went to a derm and it was a bcc..had one on my back and on my forehead also. i had mohs surgery on the face ones and the others just removed ‘normally’. since then (12 years maybe) i have had 25+ bcc (and an occasional scc) removed and i have had my big toenail on one foot removed due to a ‘pre’ melanoma.. that ws scary.. i have gone every 3 to 6 months since the first one was removed all those years ago. when ever an appt find one i start back on the 3 months until have a couple none find appts in a row then i go back to 6 months unless i notice something. i use a 30 – 50 everyday. in the summer i use the higher sunscreen and sometimes it is higher than the 50. if i am actually going to be out in the sun for more than 20 minutes i use 70+. yes, i laidout a lot in my 20′s and 30′s but no more than lots of people. my fahter had some bcc, but none of my brothers hav had any. go figure.
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 3 trackbacks }