A mum who smothered herself in baby oil for a decade in order to boost her tan is speaking out to warn others not to make the same mistake this summer – after receiving a shocking diagnosis.
British Julie Pye lived in Spain for 10 years, where she became lax with sun safety – often not bothering to wear any form of protection, and even sizzling in oils to achieve a “tanned glow”.
But when the 48-year-old noticed a patch of dry, flaking skin on the back of her neck that felt like “pins were being poked in it”, she knew something was seriously wrong.
The sun worshipper was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma – skin cancer – and now faces a lifetime of skin checks to keep it at bay.
“I never thought it would happen to me,” Julie, from, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, told Need to Know.
“I basically abused my skin for 10 years.
“I used to put baby oil on my skin so I’d tan quicker.
“I didn’t always put sun tan lotion on and I burnt more times than I’d like to admit.
“Having a tan boosted my confidence, everyone feels good when they’ve got that glow.
“You think it’s a healthy glow but any form of tanning is damaging your skin.
“I felt so careless and stupid and I wish I could go back and tell myself to wear my SPF and not go in the sun as much as I did.”
The fitness instructor lived in Spain between 1999 and 2009, and, when she got back to the UK, used sun beds to top up her tan.
Julie said: “I’m all about nutrition, looking after your body and keeping fit – but I was abusing the biggest organ in my body.
“I was in my 20s and everybody wanted to be tanned and look good.”
Alarm bells rang five years ago when Julie found a “flaky” patch of skin on the back of her neck, measuring a few millimetres, and went to see her GP.
She said: “They said it was nothing sinister because it wasn’t a mole but I had a feeling it was something more.
“It wasn’t a mole it wouldn’t go away.
“The doctor didn’t think it was anything.
“I felt silly so I didn’t go back for five years.
“But it started to hurt like someone was sticking a pin in it and it would get ulcerated in the centre, then heal, then flare up again.”
After finally going to get checked again, she was sent for a biopsy and diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.
WHAT STAGE CANCER?
Doctors decided to do a full excision because, while not usually fatal due to not spreading to different parts of the body, it would continue to grow and destroy the tissue under the skin.
Unfortunately, the damage may already be done – with doctors warning Julie she is at a high risk of developing more.
As summer looms, Julie is sharing her story to raise awareness of the importance of wearing suncream.
She added: “I have to be really careful, stay out of the sun, wear SPF, stay covered up and not go on sun beds.
“I check my skin regularly myself – I have to be really careful.
“Recently, I found two patches on my face and went straight to the doctor.
“The surgeon decided they didn’t look sinister and to keep an eye on them for six months to see if they changed or grew and if they did they’d be removed.
“Luckily, they haven’t changed which is a huge relief with it being my face.
“I’m definitely more aware and vigilant.
“If I notice any changes in my skin, I don’t hesitate and get them checked straight away.
“It’s not about overreacting – it’s about taking responsibility for my health and not putting things off.”
The ordeal has made her careful to not only monitor her skin, but advocate for properly sun safety.
Julie added: “I can’t change what’s happened, but I can look after my skin now and I can raise awareness.
“I want people to know that it’s not just moles – it can be flaky patches of skin.
“Your skin is such an important part of being healthy.
“People don’t think about that and neglect their skin so much.
“Skin damage is accumulative so the more time you spend in the sun, your skin doesn’t forget that.
“Even sunburns as a child can impact your skin in later life.
“It can build up and cause these conditions.
“People should wear suncream daily, not just when it’s sunny because your skin is still getting those UV rays even if you’re sat by a window.
“And nobody should go on sun beds – they’re really dangerous.”
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