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By Alyce Collins and Lisa Maloy
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When I was younger, I used to love laying out in the sun every day until my entire body was bronzed. Having that sun-kissed glow made me feel so much more confident, I didn’t even bother with sunblock. Frankly, back then, hardly anyone gave it a second thought.
I grew up in Las Vegas, so I was certainly no stranger to the heat. Of course, our summers were extreme, but nothing could stop me from getting the perfect tan. I even used to cover myself in baby oil just to ensure my skin would catch every last one of the sun’s rays.
As for tanning beds, I hardly ever used them. That wasn’t down to me being cautious or caring about my health however, I just preferred laying out in the sun.
Read More on My Turn
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I could tan for hours; relaxing and embracing the natural desert climate.
It’s only now when I reflect on the decisions I made when I was younger that I ask myself, was the tan really worth it?
'It Was Already Too Late'
During my teenage years, I experienced some terrible sunburns but that didn’t stop me. I was on a trip to Hawaii when I got second-degree burns, and as soon as that skin peeled, I got burned again while I was in San Diego two weeks later. It was fresh skin so you can only imagine just how painful that was.
But still, sun safety just wasn’t on my radar, and it definitely wasn’t widely discussed.
This habit lasted throughout my teens, 20s and into my early 30s. I started participating in bodybuilding competitions in my 30s and I would tan for around six to eight weeks prior to any show because I wanted that deep bronze look when I stood on stage.
By the time I realized they used tanning color for the shows, it was already too late.
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I was 31 the first time I discovered a concerning mark on my skin. It was on the right side of my chest, and it looked almost like a sore that wouldn’t heal. The lesion was somewhere between the size of a dime and a nickel, and it would regularly crack and bleed.
After a while, I went to my doctor to get the mark checked, and he said it was probably just eczema. So naturally, I thought nothing of it. If a doctor tells you something is fine, why would you question it?
A couple of years went by and I spoke to my gynaecologist about the mark on my chest, which still hadn’t gone away. During that appointment, he tried to suggest it was hormonal because I’d become a mother. The problem with that theory was that my daughter was already 4 years old by this time. It’s not like I was freshly postpartum, so it didn’t make any sense.
Eventually, it wasn’t even a doctor’s appointment that alerted me to the severity of my situation. It was just a random encounter back in 2004.
While I was working out at the gym, a gentleman and his wife came up to me and asked if I had the mark looked at because it looked serious.
“Well yes, but my doctor just said it was eczema,” I told him.
That did not ease his concerns as he instantly replied, “There’s no way. You need to get that checked.”
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He gave me the details for his dermatologist and insisted that I make an appointment. But then I realized why the man was so adamant—it was because he had squamous cell carcinoma on his face and he knew exactly what to look out for.
Even though I had two doctors look at the mark on my chest previously, there was something about this man’s reaction that compelled me to try again. He had nothing to gain by urging me to seek another opinion, but his first-hand experience was vital.
I arranged to meet with the dermatologist, and he agreed that it could indeed be something serious. He biopsied it right away and the results showed that it was in fact basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.
When he told me that, I'll admit I felt scared. But as it was just that one mark, I figured we caught it in time.
Basal cell carcinomas tend to grow slowly, usually on the areas that are exposed to the sun. Left untreated, they can spread into nearby areas and invade the bones or tissues underneath the skin.
The doctor performed the Mohs surgery right then and there to remove the skin cancer. When I walked out the door, 28 stitches later, I hoped that would be my first and last experience with skin cancer.
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'Skin Cancer Has Become a Constant in My Life'
Following my diagnosis, I tried not to stay in the sun for too long after that. I had seen the impact that sun damage could have, and I did not want to go through that again.
My daughter and son were both young, and being diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma made me acutely aware of the importance of taking care of myself.
Sadly, my preventative changes could not undo the mistakes I made in the past.
Not long after having my first Mohs surgery, I found myself back in the doctor’s office getting another mark checked. Lo and behold, it was another cancerous lesion.
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I wish I could say that was my last experience, but skin cancer has become a constant in my life for more than 22 years.
One of the hardest experiences was when my son, who is now 21, was little. I noticed another mark on my chest and had to get it checked, but as I did not have anyone who could watch my son that day, I had to take him with me. The mark had to be removed, and it caused a pretty big wound in my chest. In that moment, my son walked over to my side and through tears he said, “mommy, are you going to die?”
His father passed away when he was 2, and now my son was terrified of losing his mom too. Hearing those words come out of my son’s mouth was devastating, and that was the toughest experience for me to take.
'People Have No Idea What Survivors Like Me Are Going Through'
My first diagnosis was in 2004, and in the two decades since then, I have lost count of all the recurrences I have gone through. Sometimes they look like dry skin, some are more like a sore, and other times they present like a scaly patch. Some lesions have been painful and bled; others were hardly noticeable.
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Over the years, I’ve undergone 34 Mohs surgeries to remove carcinomas, I have had over 1,000 spots frozen off, undergone topical chemotherapy twice and I do regular chemotherapy treatment now too.
I used to feel quite scared whenever I found a new mark on my skin, but now my mentality has shifted. Whether it’s on my leg, chest, arm or wherever, I tell myself, “OK, here we go again.” I return to the doctor as I have done many times before, and get it removed.
There are, undoubtedly, times when it can get emotionally challenging though. People think that because I have this positive attitude that I’m fine, but living with this diagnosis is exhausting.
For 22 years, skin cancer has been woven into the fabric of my life, but I continue to keep fighting. It may be an ever-present part of my story, but I will never let cancer define me.
People often think that basal cell carcinoma isn’t a big deal. I’ve even had people tell me, “Well as least you have skin cancer and nothing worse.” But those people have no idea what survivors like me are going through every day.
I live in a constant state of pain, I have been cut into more times than I remember, and I have scars all over my body. Cancer does not always look like someone who is visibly sick and frail; it can also be people who have to go to work, raise a family and lead a normal life in between never-ending biopsies and treatments.
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I never know when the next mark will show up. I can’t stop it from happening, all I can do is stay vigilant.
Skin cancer can happen to anyone and should not be taken lightly. The best thing you can do is to stay educated, wear sunscreen and avoid prolonged sun exposure. If you are concerned about a mark on your skin, ask questions and seek second opinions.
I can’t go back and tell my younger self what I know now, but I hope I can deter others from making the same mistakes I once did.
Lisa Maloy, 56, from Las Vegas, Nevada, is a mom-of-two and gym owner. She also does online coaching and participates as a judge in bodybuilding shows. She has been sharing her skin cancer experience on social media to raise awareness and to urge others to advocate for themselves.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Emma Lee-Sang
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