World Wrestling Entertainment star Lexi Cabrera is opening up about her skin-cancer scare.
Cabrera, who performs for the WWE underneath the identify Alexa Bliss, took to Twitter this week to make clear an Instagram Story she had posted which revealed a scar on her face. She captioned her Instagram publish, “Dear younger me, You should have stayed out of tanning beds. All clear now though! Thank you @americanskininstitute for taking great care of me!”
When a fan on Twitter expressed properly needs for Cabrera, the wrestler tweeted again, “Thank you! Don’t worry, short healing time. Always get your skin checked! Esp if you are in the sun or use tanning beds! Lol.”
In a follow-up tweet, she described the circumstances across the surgical procedure.
“There was a spot on my face yes — that had gotten worse,” she wrote. “So went to get biopsy. Was basal cell carcinoma. During my procedure doc also found other squamous cells. Was a quick and easy procedure. Glad I always get my skin checked.”
So, what’s basal cell carcinoma?
According to dermatologist Dr. Hope Mitchell, BCC is “the most common skin cancer in the nation.” Around two million persons are identified with it every year. Though it could have an effect on individuals of all pores and skin varieties, it’s most typical in lighter-skinned people.
“When detected early, this skin cancer is highly treatable and has a good prognosis,” Dr. Mitchell tells Yahoo Life. This is what occurred just lately when President Joe Biden had a BCC lesion safely eliminated.
Squamous cell carcinoma, in the meantime, which Cabrera additionally confirmed indicators of, is the second most typical type of pores and skin most cancers within the U.S., accounting for about 15 p.c of all pores and skin cancers.
How have you learnt if you’ll have basal cell carcinoma?
According to Mitchell, “the classic appearance of BCC is a smooth, pink, pearly lesion with rolled borders.”
However, this isn’t the one approach BCC presents itself. “Any skin lesion that is not healing or bleeding easily over extended periods of time raises concern for skin cancer,” she notes. “If skin cancer is suspected, a dermatologist should be seen for appropriate evaluation and potential biopsy.”
Surgery just isn’t all the time wanted.
“Treatment of BCC will depend greatly on the stage and depth of the lesion,” she provides. “One treatment option for BCC is surgical excision of the lesion. This is the most common treatment and allows for complete removal of the skin cancer with clear margins, especially in a BCC that extends to the peripheral and/or deep tissue. Another option for treatment of BCC is topical treatments such as 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod in a lesion that is superficial and does not extend to the deep tissue.”
How can one keep away from basal cell carcinoma?
Cabrera’s warning about tanning beds is significant, in response to Dr. Mitchell, who says “there is no such thing as a safe tan,” indoors or outdoor. In truth, tanning can increase your threat of BCC by 24%. Using tanning beds earlier than age 20 also can enhance your probabilities of growing melanoma, essentially the most severe type of pores and skin most cancers, by 47% — and the chance will increase with every use.
Yet it’s not simply purposeful tanning that one needs to be involved about, however solar publicity typically.
Dr. Joshua Zeichner, an affiliate professor of dermatology on the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, provides, “You can’t change your genetics, but you can control your lifestyle and environment. Make sure to protect yourself from the sun. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 protection and the words ‘broad-spectrum’ on the bottle. This means it will protect you from both UVB and UVA rays.”
He says to use a “shot glass amount for your entire sun exposed skin” and to verify to “reapply every two hours or immediately after heavy sweating or swimming.”
“While sunscreen application is important, sun protective behavior is just as important,” he provides. “Avoid peaks on during the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, sit in the shade when possible and wear SPF protecting clothing, hats and sunglasses.”
Another strategy to be sure to’re all good?
“Visit a board-certified dermatologist annually for a total body skin check,” Dr. Zeichner stresses. “Early detection can save your life.”
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