Tanning is not part of a healthy lifestyle. Any form of exposure, whether incidental or on purpose, is bad news. With spring break approaching, going to the local tanning salon seems all too appealing. It's common that spring breakers don't want to show up in Ft. Lauderdale or Daytona with pasty white skin, but at what risk?
Judy Cloud the morning after surgery (above) and three days post-op. (below)
Judy Cloud, 49, spent a lot of time in the sun as a child wearing little to no SPF protection, resulting in overexposure and sunburns. "Severe sunburns as a child certainly increase an individual’s risk for developing skin cancer," says Dr. Steven Q. Wang , director of Dermatologic Surgery and Dermatology and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Basking Ridge. N.J. Cloud continued to stay out in the sun far too long as a teen and into her early 30s.
As time passed, further exposure from tanning beds increased her risk of skin cancer. Cloud casually went before vacations in order to obtain a fresh glow about four times a year. Along with previous damage and a family history, Cloud still never thought she was at risk, until 1995, when her battle against skin cancer began.
Cloud predominantly has basal cell carcinoma, the most frequently occurring form of skin cancer. An estimated 2.8 million cases of basal cell carcinoma were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2015, and the figures continue to climb.
Now, 21 years later, Judy Cloud has undergone her most invasive surgery to date. It was a three-hour surgery under general anesthesia. Cloud had 23 areas surgically removed in one day — 10 by excision (surgical excision is the removal of tissue using a scalpel or other cutting instrument, resulting in stitches) and 13 by laser. The total for her outpatient procedure was $26,845.87, along with having to be immobile for two weeks during recovery. Following the procedure, Cloud posted her album "Skin Cancer" on Facebook to document the damage and recovery.
When Cloud shared these pictures, she never expected the response to be so positive. Comments consist of prayers and praise for advocating skin care precautions, as well as for her courage. "I hear too many people say that they feel better about how they look after they go to a tanning bed or after they bake in the sun for hours on end," Cloud said. "Look at these pictures. This could be you."
Judy Cloud had her final follow up appointment with her plastic surgeon in October of 2015 and has been healing well. "Skin cancer is no fun," she says, "but I'm thankful for a gifted surgeon and so thankful that the surgery got it all."
