Latest news with #Amanda Anderson
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Mom Thought She Just Had Dry Skin. Months Later, She Had Hole 'The Size of a Quarter' in Her Nose After Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Amanda Anderson, 43, received the diagnosis in June after first noticing a "small irritated spot" on her nose in January NEED TO KNOW Amanda Anderson, a mother of four, discovered a small spot on her nose that she thought was dry skin But after several appointments, doctors determined it was actually basal cell carcinoma She underwent surgery to remove the spot and documented her journey online A mother of four thought she just had a bit of dry skin on her nose, months before receiving a shocking diagnosis. Amanda Anderson, 43, from Layton, Utah, first noticed she had a small spot on the side of her nose in January of this year; however, she wasn't initially concerned, as she said her skin often gets dry during the winter months, per SWNS. Anderson ended up getting the spot checked out just to be on the safe side and was given a cream. When the spot came back and started to bleed and scab, Anderson booked another appointment with the doctor, only to be told she didn't have anything to worry about. After having a gut feeling that something was wrong, Anderson went to another medic, who then booked her in for a biopsy in June, before the results came back as basal cell carcinoma on June 23. She was scheduled for surgery three days later to remove the spot. Per the Mayo Clinic, "Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma begins in the basal cells — a type of cell within the skin that produces new skin cells as old ones die off." "Basal cell carcinoma often appears as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though it can take other forms. Basal cell carcinoma occurs most often on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, such as your head and neck," the site adds. Anderson has documented her skin cancer journey on TikTok, writing in the caption of one of her videos, "WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN!!" "I had a small irritated spot on my nose for 6 months. I finally went into the dermatologist. It wasn't a huge shock to find out it was Basal Cell Carcinoma," she added. "Getting it removed was a HUGE shock. I had no idea what I was getting into!" Anderson wrote, sharing in the clip that she'd had Mohs surgery, and that medics ended up having to do three passes. She wrote over the video per the AP, "It was sooo much bigger than I was expecting," confirming she had 50 plus stitches. The clip featured multiple images showing Anderson's cancer journey, including her having a hole cut from her nose to remove all the cancer cells. The Mayo Clinic describes Mohs surgery as "a procedure used to treat skin cancer," adding, "This surgery involves cutting away thin layers of skin. Each thin layer is looked at closely for signs of cancer. The process keeps going until there are no signs of cancer." "The goal of Mohs surgery is to remove all of the skin cancer without hurting the healthy skin around it. Mohs surgery allows the surgeon to be sure that all the cancer is gone. This makes it more likely that the cancer is cured. It reduces the need for other treatments or more surgery," the site states. Anderson recalled of her initial symptoms, "It was just a little dry spot on the side of my nose," adding, "With it being the winter it's common to have dry patches. I wasn't super concerned at the beginning," per SWNS. Anderson — whose father, Kirk Romney, 66, has also had skin cancer, and has had over 17 Mohs surgeries to remove cancerous cells from his face, neck and shoulders — insisted, "When I noticed the spot at first I wasn't too concerned." "It's typical to get dry patches because of the weather here in Utah," she added. Anderson said of receiving the skin cancer diagnosis, "It's hard to hear. It's on my face and as a woman we do everything we can to make sure our faces look as good as possible." "I'm obsessed about sun cream and shade - I have been my whole life," she added. "So it was a bit of a gut punch." Anderson added of doctors removing part of her nose to get the cancer out, "It was about the size of a quarter. They cut above and below the hole and fold the skin over." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Anderson, who continues to keep her followers updated regarding her skin cancer journey on TikTok, confirmed she won't need further treatment, but will have to have check-ups every six months. She said of now wanting to warn others, "The damage is done when you're young. I encourage my daughters to put sun cream on underneath their makeup." "I'm trying to build healthy habits in my kids," Anderson added. "People don't realize you can get sunburnt through the window of a car. We have to take care of our skin like you would your teeth. Skin cancer is so preventable." PEOPLE has reached out to Anderson for an update on her recovery. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Mother-of-four, 43, reveals subtle mark she thought was just dry skin - but it was skin cancer: 'I ALWAYS wore sunscreen'
A mother-of-four who dismissed a small dry patch on her nose was shocked to be told it was skin cancer—because she had been 'obsessed' with wearing sun cream. Amanda Anderson, 43, first noticed the blemish in January but assumed it was down to the cold Utah winter. She visited her GP 'just to be on the safe side'—but was given a cream to soothe the dryness. But when the mark came back, bled and began to scab, Amanda's instincts told her something wasn't right. She went to another medic and a biopsy revealed basal cell carcinoma—the most common type of skin cancer. 'I wasn't super concerned at the beginning,' said Amanda, who lives in Layton and works for a suicide prevention charity. 'It was just a little dry spot on the side of my nose. With it being the winter it's common to have dry patches.' Doctors scheduled her for Mohs surgery, a specialist technique where thin layers of skin are removed and examined under a microscope until no cancer cells remain. Amanda needed three rounds before surgeons confirmed they had cleared it. The procedure left a penny-sized hole in her nose, which was repaired by folding skin from above and below to cover the gap. 'It's hard to hear,' Amanda said of her diagnosis. 'It's on my face and as a woman we do everything we can to make sure our faces look as good as possible. 'I'm obsessed about sun cream and shade. So it was a bit of a gut punch.' Amanda's father, Kirk Romney, 66, has faced his own battles with skin cancer and endured more than 17 Mohs surgeries to remove tumours from his face, neck and shoulders. But Amanda grew up in Arizona in the 1980s, when tanning was fashionable and sunscreen wasn't widely used. 'I'm very fair—I freckle, I don't tan easily,' she said. 'There was a tanning salon across the street from school that wasn't regulated. I lived in Arizona where it was year-round sun.' Now recovering, she is urging others to take skin protection seriously and to act quickly if they notice anything unusual. 'The damage is done when you're young,' Amanda said. 'I encourage my daughters to put sun cream on underneath their make-up. 'I'm trying to build healthy habits in my kids. People don't realise you can get sunburnt through the window of a car. 'We have to take care of our skin like you would your teeth. Skin cancer is so preventable.' Skin cancer is among the most common cancers in both the UK and the US. In Britain, melanoma—the deadliest form—affects around 17,000 people a year, while here are an estimated 156,000 new non-melanoma skin cancer cases annually, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. In the US, around 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every single day. One in five Americans will develop it at some point in their lives. Basal cell carcinoma, which Amanda had, is rarely fatal but can cause significant damage if left untreated. It often appears on sun-exposed areas such as the nose, lips and ears—as the main trigger is UV exposure, from the sun. Squamous cell carcinoma is also common and can spread if not removed early. Melanoma, though accounting for just one per cent of cases, causes the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. Around 104,000 new melanomas are expected in the US this year, leading to more than 8,000 deaths. The good news is that survival is high when skin cancers are caught early. In the UK, more than nine in ten people with melanoma survive at least ten years—one of the highest survival rates of any cancer. But outcomes depend heavily on how early it is caught. If the disease has spread to the lymph nodes, survival falls to around 75 per cent, and if it reaches other organs just 35 per cent of patients live five years. Non-melanoma cancers like Amanda's are even more treatable, with cure rates above 95 per cent if removed promptly. Mohs surgery—considered the gold standard for high-risk or facial skin cancers—offers cure rates of up to 99 per cent. Experts urge people to be vigilant and check their skin regularly. For moles, dermatologists recommend the ABCDE rule: look out for Asymmetry, irregular Borders, Colour variation, large Diameter, and any Evolving change. Other red flags include sores that don't heal, patches that bleed or scab, and new lumps or bumps that look different to the rest. Amanda says her experience shows that anyone can be affected, no matter how careful they are. 'I had a gut feeling that it was going to need to be removed,' she said. 'I'm just glad I listened to my instincts.' She will now have check-ups every six months but doesn't need further treatment. Her advice is simple: don't ignore changes to your skin. 'Skin cancer is so preventable,' Amanda said. 'If you notice something unusual, don't wait. Get it checked.'
