A woman who battled skin cancer twice in her quest to become super tanned has slammed “extremely harmful” celeb claims surrounding SPF.
Influencer Samantha Faiers made headlines recently after revealing she doesn’t use sun cream on her or her children – claiming some brands of SPF are “full of toxic ingredients”.
It’s something that hits close to home for Lisa Costello who was “addicted” to sun beds and never wore sun creams prior to her battle with melanoma.
The 44-year-old warns that it isn’t worth taking the risk of not wearing SPF daily – and criticised those with a platform saying otherwise.
“It’s extremely harmful to share this message,” Lisa, a driving instructor from Essex, told Need To Know.
“I’m scared for the future of these people, because if I could go back and protect my skin, I would in a heartbreat.
“Melanoma kills – and the only way to prevent this is to use sunscreen and look after your largest organ.”
The topic has been up for debate online recently, after former TOWIE star Samantha took to Instagram Stories to share her thoughts with her following of 2.5m.
She wrote: “So this is always a bit of a controversial one, but honestly, me and my whole family don’t actually wear sunscreen.
“Over the years, the kids have built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun.”
She clarified that if the sun felt “too harsh”, she would move them to the shade, and may use Tallow Zinc SPF, hats, and SPF swimwear.
In the widely criticised post, Samantha added: “Don’t be afraid of the sun! Early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it’s not as strong, I love letting the kids run around and soak it up,
“It’s good for them.”
The recent headlines were particularly upsetting to Lisa, who also lost her father to skin cancer at the age of 59.
She said: “Watching my dad die from what was just one mole – all because he didn’t protect his skin – is something I will never forget for the rest of my life.
“And for myself, now having numerous operations annually and living with the anxiety of melanoma returning in my body at any given time.
“For people that are sharing this information about not wearing sunscreen – you clearly haven’t seen someone you love die of skin cancer.
“If you had, then you wouldn’t think twice about being sun safe and using sunscreen.
“Count yourself very lucky if you haven’t experience what melanoma skin cancer can do to your body.”
Doctors first found a cancerous mole on Lisa in 2018, following years of sun beds and tanning without protection – instead using oils to maximise her tan.
A second mole was found in 2021.
Lisa said she “100% regrets” not wearing SPF in her younger years.
She said: “If I had used SPF, it would have prevented me from getting skin cancer.
“After what I’ve been through, I now wear SPF every single day.
“I apply it again at the hottest point during the day, and if I go abroad, I re-apply it every two hours.
“I put it on my kids on a regular basis, too – sun protection has to start at a very young age.
“Not wearing SPF is a very risky thing to do – and something you may live to regret.”
