The Times – “I didn’t worship the sun – I still got cancer”

The Times 7th June feature “I didn’t worship the sun – I still got cancer” – follows the story of Peta Bee, whose love of exercise had nasty consequences in the form of BCC skin cancer.

Naturally fair, while she’d never been a big sun-worshipper and wasn’t particularly prone to burning. However, it was Peta’s running, cycling and swimming outdoors with inadequate sun protection which was the cause of the BCC (Basal Cell Carcinoma) on her nose.

Basal Cell Carcinoma is a malignant non-melanoma form of skin cancer. It is mostly curable and in the early stages, may be treated with a cream, but for more advanced cancers such as Peta’s, will require an operation.

Cosmedics’ Medical Director Dr Ross Perry explained:

“At the next stage BCCs start to spread to the next layer of skin or stick out a bit and require surgical excision.

“It is a complicated and labour-intensive procedure done under local anaesthetic that involves removing saucer-like shape sof affected tissue.

“It is excavating the tumour as opposed to cutting it out and removes the entire cancer.”

Left untreated, BCCs can invade surrounding tissues, even bone and cartilege. Peta describes the experience of having a ‘5p piece sized hole’ with a 2 inch opening to remove her cancer:

“What I hadn’t anticipated was the level of debilitating pain…

“…It was days before I got out of bed, weeks before I regained strength and months until the tenderness started to diminish.”

Sun Sense Warning

As the summer has finally arrived, Dr Ross Perry issues a warning about exposing the skin to the sun, saying:

“I see patients who are sun-aware but who still sneakily want to get a tan.

“There’s this slightly perverse aspect we have about ourselves in the UK, where we are still happy to take that risk, still happy to head to the park at lunchtime with no protection when the sun come out.”

Mole Checking and Removal

Cosmedics Skin Clinics team of doctors and surgeons offer private mole removal at their UK clinics.

Dr Perry advocates regular self-checking for any mole which is ‘suspicious’ – different to the others in appearance (size, shape, colour, symmetry) or that it is changing quickly. Anybody worried about a mole or skin blemish is advised to see their GP ASAP. If there is a concern, referral on the NHS should be made.

Nowadays, any moles not considered to be ‘suspicious’ are now unlikely to be removed on the NHS, so patients wanting a mole removed can seek treatment in the private sector. Cosmedics’ team of skin doctors have removed literally thousands of moles. Services include:

• Mole consultations with same day treatment
• Top to toe mole checks
• Mole Removal including laser mole removal, shave excision and ellipse excision surgery
• Mole testing (histology) after removal

COSMEDICS SKIN CLINICS

Cosmedics Skin Clinics was established in 2003 and has built up an excellent reputation for cosmetic and medical treatments, carried out by GMC Registered Doctors.  The company offer a full range of cosmetic treatments, including popular lip enhancement and wrinkle relaxing injections, dermal fillers; plus medical treatments including mole removal, thread vein treatment and excessive sweating injections.

Cosmedics Skin Clinics has a team of skin treatment doctors and surgeons in their 5 skin clinics across London and Bristol led by Dr Ross Perry.

Call 020 7386 0464 or email info@cosmedics.co.uk to book an appointment.