I used to tan in a bed seasonally - as in, go for 2-3 months before summer or before a beach vacation to get a nice tan. One, for vanity reasons, and two, so I wouldn't burn my naturally fair skin on the beach. It provided me a nice backup in addition to my sunscreen and made me feel prettier.
Those days are over. I've officially sworn off tanning beds, and the results I got from the dermotologist this morning have only confirmed my decision.
Early stage, superficial, surface-level melanoma.
Yep, that's cancer.
I had a mole (a very small one that I honestly thought was just a freckle that had stretched when my skin expanded during pregnancy 2 1/2 years ago) removed from my thigh earlier this week. I never suspected it was cancerous, just wanted to be safe than sorry and now that we have good health insurance again, it wasn't a big deal to do. The doctor numbed my leg and scraped it off and besides a sore spot by the healing wounds, no big deal.
Until he got the biopsy results.
But thankfully, the doctor assured me we caught it very early, and it was all surface level and hadn't spread deeper or anything dangerous. He thinks we probably already got the whole thing with the initial removal but that to be 100% sure, I have to go back next week and let him cut a bigger section that will actually require stitches.
I'm so freaked out and relieved I don't even care about that part!
So, fellow ladies (and men!) who enjoy a good fake tan - please stop. This worked out well for me but it could have easily been incredibly bad if I'd wanted a few years and not had this spot looked at it. Please get checked if you have ANY suspicions. It's worth the co pay or visit pay and mild discomfort to be sure.
Just say to tanning beds! My new motto in life.
Bring on the Jergen's Glow lotion...
4 comments:
Oh wow praise God!! You've inspired me and I just set up an appointment to take a look at a weird shaped mole I've always had on my side.
So sorry to hear this! I also noticed a weird mole after my pregnancy, and mine turned out to be basal cell. Ugh! It was not fun getting that removed. So, I second that. No tanning, ladies. It's not worth it!
Good idea, Betsy! I used to tan at the end of high school & in college, but it had been years & after my pregnancy with Anna I had a weird freckle looking thing actually on the top of my breast! LOL It ended up being the same thing yours was and I had to get a few stitches too. So glad we went in early to get it checked out! Yes, it will be bottle or spray tan for me now too when I need it! LOL :-)
So glad they caught it early! Keep going to your checkups. Yay for glow lotion ;)
Post a Comment