When you Love the Sun too Much

Two years ago, I woke up with any girl’s nightmare:  A PIMPLE. 

 

A big, bad one. Right in the middle of my face. 

 

The pimple was probably one of the worst things that ever happened to me. And now I’m trying to turn it into the best. I was stupid enough to have this pimple on my nose for more than a year. I tried every cleansing product to make it go away; and then I tried every makeup product to try to cover it up! On vacation, my dad, a plastic surgeon, told me my nose looked deformed because of the “pimple”. Great, I thought, another problem: unsupportive parents. He pointed out that the "pimple" had gotten bigger, and that it needed to be checked out right away. The second the doctor saw my face, he diagnosed it on the spot.  

 

SKIN CANCER. 

 

I didn’t know how bad it was until I went to California to see a surgeon who specializes in dermatology. They removed the pimple… along with, literally, half of my nose. This was followed with wearing a patch on my face for five months. (I thought I looked like a monster, but no worries, my mom still thought I looked hot!) It made me long for the days when I just had a pimple. Of course, people started asking me what happened. “Skin cancer,” I would answer honestly. “That happens? I mean, at your age?” “Yes. It does.” I’m fine now, thankfully, and this experience from hell was the luckiest of my life. But I want to make other people even luckier. My goal became to share my story and invent a company that would take my attitude towards what had happened and turn it into something that would help and benefit others. The pimple was the worst thing that ever happened to me. And now I’m trying to turn it into the best.

 

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and one out of five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Two years ago, I didn’t know it was one of the most common forms of cancer, nor that it would happen to me at a young age. Neither did I know that it is also one of the most preventable types of cancer and that little changes in my lifestyle could have saved me a lot of trouble today.

 

If it is so preventable, why are the numbers so high? If you think about it, fashion trends have reduced clothing, exposing more of our skin. Modern culture adores a tan body thinking it is sexy and hot. People are spending more time outdoors, exercising, socializing or just living. People hear about skin cancer, but just like I did, they believe it won’t happen to them, at least at “their age.” I found out skin cancer doesn’t discriminate, and it happened to me, a healthy 25-year-old with olive colored skin.

 

It’s okay to love the sun, I still do, but you should make sure you and your family are aware and well protected. Teach your kids that sunscreen is their friend, schedule your yearly skin check now, try looking for sun protective clothing if you know you will spend time under the sun, and make it a habit to check yourself for any changes in your skin. After all, we all want to continue loving the sun, don’t we?