Rachel Collett, 48, who lives in England, noticed a small scar that appeared on her forehead in 2014. Thinking it was her hairbrush, Rachel ignored the mark. However, the scar on his forehead started to grow gradually. “Eventually, it slowly began to shrink around it, and what I described as a volcanic crater started to sink into my head,” Rachel said. The trail continued to grow. Then the red part in the middle disappeared and the color of the scar became pearly white. That’s why I went to the doctors who referred me to a dermatologist.”
THE DOCTOR ASKED IF YOU USE SUN CREAM
The biopsy revealed it was basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, so he removed the lesion. A mother of two who works at a middle school developed another lump near her eye in 2018. This year, another non-cancerous growth was removed on the tip of his nose. Rachel wants to raise awareness about the importance of sun protection and says she only started using low SPF sunscreen in her 20s. “When I went to the doctor, he asked me if I used sunscreen. I didn’t use sunscreen when I was younger because I was born in 1974, when skin cancer was unknown. Because I have olive skin, my mother was unaware of the effects of skin cancer, so she used coconut oil instead of sunscreen.”
“SCAR AFFECTED MY SELF-CONFIDENCE”
‘Rachel had surgery to remove her first lesion in 2015 at age 41. Doctors said they normally see basal cell carcinoma in older people and that it’s “very rare” for someone his age to have it. Rachel said: ‘They took the entire length of my forehead and removed the cancer and surrounding tissue, opening it like a window to make sure all the cancer was gone. Then they put it back together and my scar became like an anchor. The scar that everyone notices. At the school where I work, all the young people say, “What’s that wound on your head for, ma’am?” says. It affected my self-confidence. I see people’s eyes that bother me.’ she said.
APPLY SUN CREAM BEFORE GOING OUT
‘I always tell my kids ‘make sure you put on sunscreen’. During heat waves I ride factor 50 and stay in the shade, if I land on the beach I don’t stay there for long. My message will always be to wear sunscreen and protect yourself. Apply sunscreen before you go out, not when you go out because it takes time for your skin to absorb it.