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Linda
Lover of all things natural.
Palliative Care Project Officer
Eczema intermittently, solar keratosis, general sensitivity.
The more years that pass, the more conscious I have become of the need to protect my skin. Swimming with a rash vest and hat are non-negotiable for me these days.
When I I was a teenager it was quite a different story, and I would frequently sun bake to get as brown as possible. There were several occasions I wasn't as conscious of being sun safe while at the beach, and endured severe burns as a result.
The damage that is caused today by the sun can never be undone, and a potential deep burn in the pursuit of the perfect tan is not worth risking future skin cancer.
I recently had a skin cancer scare which reminded of this. On a very overdue skin check, the doctor discovered something which had all the hallmark signs of a melanoma. When he discovered it I was about to leave on holidays. He told me not to worry not to enjoy my time away, but to come and see me to have a biopsy on my return. I spent the next week thinking of all the potential scenarios, praying it was benign.
After the biopsy I had a nervous few days wait for the results. Researching online I was startled to learn that close to one melanoma diagnosis is made every half hour in Australia. Thankfully I was one of the lucky ones and my mole was not cancerous. It was a timely reminder to me that the damage caused by those sunburns as a teen can never be erased, but that continued sun safety and regular skin checks can ensure that the likelihood of any nasty skin cancers can certainly be reduced.
Thank you Linda for helping raise awareness for skin cancer, melanoma and skin conditions, and sharing your story with us and our Solbari Community.
The Solbari Team
It is very difficult to the untrained eye to identify melanomas and skin cancers because they can come in many different shapes and sizes.
As Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon from the Skin & Cancer Foundation Inc. says, "the earlier a skin cancer is identified and treated, the better the chance of avoiding surgery, or in the case of a serious melanoma or skin cancer, potential disfigurement or even death."
