A young, beautiful woman from small-town in Kentucky never thought she would become famous for posting a selfie on social media. Tawny Willoughby frequently used a tanning bed (4-5 times a week) while she was growing up. Today she has a dangerous type of skin cancer that could lead to melanoma.
CNN reports: “I had my own personal tanning bed in my home, and so did a lot of my friends growing up. … Everyone tanned,” Willoughby said. “I didn’t really even think about the future or skin cancer at the time.” After one of her classmates in nursing school was diagnosed with melanoma, Willoughby made her first dermatology appointment at age 21. Sure enough, she had skin cancer.
Now 27, Willoughby says she has had basal cell carcinoma five times and squamous cell carcinoma once. She goes to the dermatologist every six to 12 months and usually has a cancerous piece of skin removed at each checkup.
In CNN reports you can find out why excessive tanning could cause skin cancer. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, said the academy, which reports that more than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning.
Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for adults 25-29 years old and the second-most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old, according to the academy. Warning signs include changes in size, shape or color of a mole or other lesion, the appearance of a new growth on the skin or a sore that doesn’t heal. Risk factors for all types of skin cancer include skin that burns easily, blond or red hair and a history of excessive sun exposure, including sunburns and tanning-bed use .
Tawny Willoughby became a spokeswoman against tanning bed after she posted a selfie n Facebook. She wrote: “If anyone needs a little motivation to not lay in the tanning bed and sun here ya go! This is what skin cancer treatment can look like. Wear sunscreen and get a spray tan. You only get one skin and you should take care of it.”
Willoughby, a registered nurse who now lives in northern Alabama, said she never expected the Facebook picture of her damaged face to go viral.
But she’s excited to think her story might save someone’s life. SO, read the full article here: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/12/living/skin-cancer-selfie-feat/index.html
