The common form of cancer can affect anyone at any age, but you can reduce your likelihood with simple measures
A man has recently found out that a habit he’d been following for months was the likely reason he’s been diagnosed with a largely preventable yet common cancer. He warned people to think twice before ignoring the signs that can be very subtle to begin with.
Speaking in a TikTok video, Sam (@samtee.3) said: “So today, I’ve been informed I’ve got skin cancer. The biggest thing is that initially [the doctors] were like, ‘Nah, you’re 26 – realistically it’s not going to be that’ then I realised for literally nine months I went on the sunbeds once a week for about nine minutes, nothing crazy, but the minuit I Said that [the doctors] were like, ‘Ah’.”
In a follow-up video, Sam explained that he went to the doctors because of a pink dot appearing on his forehead. He claimed to have “had it for ages” and it was only when others urged him to “get checked” that he booked an appointment.
A doctor examined him and felt the ‘dot’ was basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which needed further testing. In the meantime, Sam looked for a second opinion from a private doctor who believed it was “just a mole”.
However, the NHS results confirmed that this was indeed a common type of skin cancer. Despite being highly treatable with surgery and possible radiotherapy or chemotherapy to kill cancer cells, people shouldn’t delay getting checked by a doctor, as leaving the cancer untreated can lead to spreading and causing further complications.
Sam admitted that his sunbed habit likely led to his cancer. He said: “I wasn’t abusing them, but was using them, and obviously that’s not great.”
What can cause skin cancer to form?
For cases like Sam’s non-melanoma skin cancer, the most common culprit for the damage is ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and sunbeds. The NHS adds that you’re also more likely to get non-melanoma skin cancer if you have:
- pale skin that burns easily in the sun
- red or fair hair
- blue or green eyes
- a large number of freckles or moles
- had a lot of sun exposure and you’ve had sunburn a lot in the past
- used sunbeds a lot
- a history of skin cancer in your family, or you’ve had skin cancer before
Staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer. Avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day and use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 that is reapplied regularly.
What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer?
The main symptom of non-melanoma skin cancer is a growth or unusual patch on the skin. These can vary in colour, size and texture.
According to the NHS, some cancerous growths are raised and smooth with clear edges, whilst others may be bumpier, rough or crusty. Sometimes skin cancer may start as a flat discoloured patch and can be a range of colours, including purple, brown and red, depending on the tone of your skin.
Any part of your skin can be affected, but it’s most common in areas exposed to the sun, such as the head, face, ears, neck, shoulders, back, hands and lower legs See a GP if you have a growth on your skin that’s getting bigger or has changed colour or texture. It’s also a cause for concern when you have a growth or area of skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than four weeks.