Sali Hughes on beauty: I make no apologies for repeating myself – keeping track of your moles is vital
Her mole awareness and perseverance means she is going to be fine. I say all this because – assuming the weather hasn't changed dramatically by the time you read this – you probably have more skin exposed than usual. I strongly urge you to pay attention to it.
My friend's recent and ongoing episode may be closer to home, but it is similar to several emails I have received from readers over the years, telling me of their cancer treatment triggered by columns I have written on mole checking. And so I make no apologies for repeating myself: you must look carefully at the moles, marks and spots on your face and body, whether behind your ears or between your toes. And you should log them so you can spot any changes.
Take photographs on your phone (pop a ruler or tape measure next to them for scale), then store them in a dedicated album, to which you can refer back every few months. This will allow you better to track any changes in size, colour, shape or appearance.
You may notice a mole or patch that has become jagged in outline. Or perhaps one that was brown but is now pink or red in parts. Or a brown spot that has become raised or domed. Any change at all is worthy of a doctor's attention. Even if your doctor disagrees with your rational belief that something is up, stick at it.
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High street skin clinics are a good and relatively affordable (£50-£60) place to get a dedicated full-body mole check. State-of-the-art London clinics like OneWelbeck offer digital mole mapping, where every mark on your body is tracked for the smallest change. A private dermatologist is another option, where affordable.
But all doctors and nurses working with skin will say the same: you, the patient, are the expert in knowing what looks normal for you. Your observation is vital to your health, as reader messages have proved starkly, and movingly, over the years.
As for my input, you know what else I'm going to say: wear sunscreen with an SPF30 minimum on your face and body. Wear lots of it and reapply it frequently.
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Danielle's post comes after she revealed she had undergone another operation after spotting an unusual mole on her torso that needed to be sent off for a biopsy. Taking to Instagram, she shared a video of her experience, revealing that while the procedure was quick and painless, she would have to wait two months to find out whether the mole was cancerous. Showing off the mole in her video, she explained: 'I t only looks small but it's definitely changed in colour and size.' Documenting her time in hospital, she confessed: 'I was a little bit apprehensive when I was waiting but then I was absolutely fine going in.' Showing off the markings on her stomach ahead of surgery, she added: 'I had to laugh because it looked like they'd drawn the evil eye on my belly.' Danielle then showed off her scar as she continued: 'When I got home I was a little bit sore and a little bit swollen but overall I'm just looking forward to getting some positive results.' She finished her video by urging her followers to ' know the signs [of skin cancer] and protect yourself from the sun'. Danielle captioned the clip: 'Trigger Warning ⚠️ Today I had another surgery to remove another mole — this time on my stomach. 'We're hoping it's just a precaution, but I'll be waiting 8–10 weeks for results. 'Please don't ignore any changes to your skin. I never thought this would happen to me… until it did. Early detection saves lives — skin cancer is highly treatable when caught early. 'If something doesn't look or feel right, see a doctor. Protect your skin: ☀️ Use high SPF. Cover up. Say no to sunbeds. Look after yourself and those around you'. She added the hashtags: '#SkinCancerAwareness #Melanoma #StaySafeInTheSun #GetChecked #SunSafety #protectyourskin'. Danielle then shut down misinformation around SPF after a fan commented: 'Check ingredients in Sun cream!! Chemicals awareness'. 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She urged: 'I just want to raise awareness for anyone who thinks they've got something funny on their body, they see a mole growing, which is not normal - please please please go to your doctor because honestly, you just never know.' The model went on to say that she'd been 'really shocked' by what she'd been told earlier in the day, but before going on to praise the Macmillan nurses at the hospital for their support.
