I don’t worry only about breast cancer. I’m a little freaked about skin cancer, too. It’s because I spent far to many hours seeking sun in my younger years, and I am painfully aware of the side effects of such behavior. I’ve had several pre-cancerous lesions cut and frozen off my fair skin, I have a one-and-a-half-inch scar where a basal cell cancer was removed a year ago, and just today, my dermatologist shaved off a bit of a mole she didn’t like — it was an odd color, different from the others on my body, she said.
A piece of my mole is on its way to a lab somewhere, and in about a week, I’ll know if it’s cancer or not. If it is, it’s likely one that is common and can be cut out without any serious health consequences. But in the back of my mind, there’s this little twinge of fear that melanoma is in my future. Melanoma is the deadly kind of skin cancer, and it’s real, folks. Just ask Miss Melanoma — she lost a toe, part of her foot, and all 16 lymph nodes from her groin to the disease. And if you don’t think it’s serious stuff, listen to Claire Oliver in the video below.
See why I’m scared? If you are, too, the best thing you can do is cease all tanning, and get yourself to a dermatologist every year for a thorough once-over. That’s how my funky mole was discovered. It wasn’t even on my radar. Ah, and don’t forget your sunscreen.
For more skin cancer facts and figures, head over to The Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. To check out The Skin Cancer Council Australia (referenced in the video), visit here.
Tags: basal cell cancer, Claire Oliver, dermatologist, melanoma, Miss Melanoma, skin cancer
I know first hand on how serious Melanoma is. My sister Susan was diagnosed December 1995 with Stage 4 Melanoma. She died April 15, 1996. She was 39 years old. That was almost 14 years ago. Good for you to have your skin checked regularly. I admire how you get the word out to people to be proactive. Thank you for your blog!
Sending good thoughts your way that your result is good news.
Nancy — I am so sorry to hear about your sister. And thanks so much for your well wishes. I am confident my mole will turn out fine! Either way, I’ll post about it here when I know more!
Malignant Melanoma is very dangerous type of skin cancer. It originates on skin. It can appear as a mole. Those who have dark skin tone, are less likely to develop melanoma. It appears in the leg for females and for males, it is found on chest or back area. Immediately diagnosing is very important, else it can worsen the situation. If anyone observes symptoms of it, should consult to doctor immediately.