Healthy living
Body matters
‘My skin cancer was caught in time’
Teresa Hughes used to be a real sun-worshipper – but not any more, as she explains to Lesley Dobson
Teresa, 53, from Leighton Buzzard, spent every moment she could in the sun. ‘I never wore sunscreen in this country, and when I went on holiday I started with Factor 4 and worked my way down from there. When I was 17, I burnt so badly that I blistered my chest. I used to use sunbeds as well. I got to the stage where I had a permatan.
‘In December 2004, I noticed a little scab on my nose. I thought I’d scratched myself. I put some tea-tree oil on it and it went away. But a couple of months later it came back, and it didn’t look right.’
‘I knew that my GP had a particular interest in dermatology so I made an appointment to see him. He was 99% certain it was a basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer), and said I should have a biopsy done. I pointed out a darker patch of skin on my cheek, which I’d had for ages, (I called it my tea stain) and he said it would be a good idea to take a look at that too.
‘When I got the results of the biopsy it confirmed that I had a basal cell carcinoma on my nose. The darker patch of skin was a malignant melanoma which was at the stage where it was about to get nasty. I was very fortunate. If it hadn’t been caught then it would have spread, and that would have been me done for.
‘I’m blue-eyed, blonde and fair-skinned with freckles. My constant sun worship brought it all to a head. My surgeon, who was wonderful, didn’t mince his words. He made it quite clear that it was my lifestyle that had caused it. I have regular check-ups now. I’ve already had four or five basal cell cancers taken off my back and my body.
‘Now I tell everybody who’ll listen about skin cancer. You just have to be careful. I follow the advice from the Cancer Research UK Sunsmart Campaign and cover up or stay in the shade when the sun’s at its hottest, keep reapplying sunscreen, Factor 15 or more and make sure I don’t burn.’
More on sun and skin
- Don't take risks with the sun
- Sunshine - the good news
- Medical conditions factfinder: skin cancer
- The skin booster you can grow yourself
Useful website
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.