You've heard countless times about the importance of wearing sunscreen [1], regardless of season. But were you really paying attention? To be honest, even as beauty editors, we sometimes "forget" (read: intentionally leave out) applying SPF in hopes of getting a little sun-kissed glow. We'll never do that again now that we've seen the harmful results.
Tawny Willoughby, a 28-year-old nurse and mother from Alabama, shared a graphic selfie of the effects of skin cancer treatment [2] with her Facebook friends, saying she's been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma five times and squamous cell carcinoma once in the past six years. She admits to tanning several times a week because she felt like her glow faded too quickly. Now, she skips sunning in favor of wearing sunscreen and spray tans. "You only get one skin and you should take care of it," insists Tawny. "Don't let tanning prevent you from seeing your children grow up."
This gory image is a harsh reminder of the importance of regular dermatologist visits. Be sure to visit your doctor at least once a year for a full body scan, and get any suspicious or new spots checked out. "I go to the dermatologist every six to 12 months and usually have a skin cancer removed at each checkup," admits Tawny.