HEALTH: I wish I'd covered up in the sun. I'll never, ever use a sun bed again

0 Comments | Peterborough Evening Telegraph (Peterborough, England), June 7, 2006

NEW research has revealed that one in three British men put themselves at risk of skin cancer by rarely wearing sunscreen. Peterborough radio DJ Kev Lawrence is among those who have discovered the cost of a sun tan, after he was diagnosed with melanoma. RACHEL WAREING reports.

LOUNGING by the hotel pool against a backdrop of blue sky and palm trees, Kev Lawrence smiles for the camera as he bathes in the sun on holiday.

Like many of us, the ET columnist and Lite FM breakfast show DJ has always loved soaking up the sun's rays and topping up his tan.

But while he may look a picture of health in this photograph, a lifetime of sun-worshipping has finally caught up with him.

During a routine medical check-up a few weeks ago, Kev's doctor noticed a small mole on his neck which didn't look right.

It was dark, an irregular shape and was two-tone in colour - classic signs of skin cancer.

He was referred to a specialist, who told him it was melanoma - the most serious form of skin cancer.

He was given a local anaesthetic while a surgeon sliced into his neck and removed the mole, an experience he described as "absolute agony".

But being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 38, with a young family to care for, was a far worse experience.

He said: "Being told I had cancer hit me for six. At that point they couldn't give me any information about how far it had developed and I started having a blind panic attack that I was for it.

"I'm not afraid to admit I cried a lot. It was a terrible time for me and for my family.

"Fingers crossed, they have caught it soon enough and have managed to chop it all away.

"But I've been told they will have to watch the area for the next five years, and that worry and uncertainty will always hang over me. "

Kev's doctors have told him that the cancer was almost certainly caused by his tanning obsession.

Although he has fair skin, which always goes red before it goes brown, it has never stopped him lying in the sun.

It all started when he was 15, and would regularly visit his dad, who was living in Spain.

He said: "I would often go and lie in the sun and ever since then I've always wanted to be a nice, golden colour.

"I'd go on two or more foreign holidays every year, and whenever the sun was shining I'd be straight out there. I'd rarely use any protection, and if I did it was a very low factor.

"A couple of years ago I visited my friend in Australia and I spent almost all of three weeks I was out there in the sun. I didn't use any sun cream, even when I was lying on Bondi Beach for hours."

When tanning booths came into fashion in the mid-80s, Kev started using them to build up his tan over the winter.

It was an easy habit to maintain;. He'd go to the gym, have a shower, then go for a quick session under the sun bed.

His wife Julieanne (38), on the other hand, has never been interested in looking bronzed. He said: "It wasn't so much the cancer risk which worried her, but more the ageing effect of the sun. She knew it would cause wrinkles and so she has always wanted to protect herself from that."

Kev just wishes he'd followed her example.

He said: "I wish I'd covered up in the sun. I'll never, ever use a sun bed again and I'm going to choose my holidays very carefully from now on.

"It's tough because I want to take my kids on a bucket and spade holiday, but at the moment I've no inclination to be anywhere near the sun. If I do, I will make sure I am well covered and will be using the highest protection factor I can find."

"I would never have considered a fake tan before, but now I think: 'bring on the spray tan'. If I want a bit of colour, it will come out of a bottle."

Kev said he has always been aware of the risk of skin cancer, but just never thought it would happen to him.

He said: "I just want other people to know the risks, and to tell them not be as foolish as I was.

"Don't ever think it can't happen to you."

Moles: The danger signs

1. This is a cancerous mole. Its puffy middle, jagged edges and discolouration are all danger signs.

2. Moles that grow large need to be checked by a doctor. The one in this picture is more than 3cms in width.

3. Unevenly coloured moles also need to be checked out

4. Moles that become jagged around the edges are a danger sign, too.

FACTfile: Skin cancer

> There are two main types of skin cancer, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.

> Melanomas often start in moles, but they can also develop elsewhere on the skin.

> According to Peterborough Primary Care Partnership, risk factors include:sunburn and/or intense sun exposure in childhood; having large numbers of moles (50-100) and having multiple unusual moles; having fair skin (especially if it freckles or burns easily) also increases the risk of developing melanoma

> The best way to prevent melanoma is to avoid over-exposure to the sun and other sources of UV (ultraviolet) radiation. It is also important to keep an eye on moles to be able to spot changes easily.

> Actions you can take to protect yourself includes spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm and making sure you never burn. Cover up in the sun with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses. Remember to take extra care with children and always use no less than factor 15 sunscreen. you should also report mole changes or unusual skin growths promptly to your doctor.