Carol Vorderman has shared her experience of a cancer scare after “many merry years” of extreme sunbathing. The 63-year-old confessed that it was a common practice during her youth.
She previously stated: “Oh God, yes. I was burning away merrily for many, many years. I’m of the generation where we started to sunbathe – my mother’s generation didn’t. We were also caught in the formative years, the 60s, 70s, 80s, where we had absolutely no idea of what sun protection was – you just couldn’t buy it. I think it was the 90s that began. ”
She admitted: “So in all of our youth we were encouraging each other to sunbathe doused in cooking oil.”
Carol experienced a skin cancer scare around the age of 50, after noticing changes in her skin, she consulted a dermatologist who sent off a biopsy for testing.
The results showed precancerous cells. Carol said: “I had no symptoms, nothing like that” but emphasised that she doesn’t want sympathy, instead urging people to heed her advice on sun protection.
Following the removal of the cells, Carol now undergoes an annual check-up and is meticulous about using SPF, reports the Mirror.
She remarked: “In many ways, the damage is already done, but I don’t sunbathe now, I cover myself up”. Carol was struck by tragedy when her mother passed away from cancer in 2017, having fought against three different types, with melanoma being her last challenge.
Carol reflected: “Not a single time in her life did she sunbathe – my mum had a different skin to me, she had moles, I don’t. I know that makes you much more prone to melanomas.”
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