"That being said every year, I seem to find more and more skin cancers in this group of patients. "Skin cancers are uncommon in patients under 25," Zeichner told me. I asked him if he is increasingly diagnosing skin cancers in patients 25 and under recently. To get a more informative (and less judgmental) take on skin cancer in young people, I tapped Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. To quote Mia Thermopolis: "As if I wasn't enough of a freak already!" She was being shadowed by a couple of med students, and while talking to them in front of me, she made a huge deal of how young I was to have skin cancer and how rare it was. In college, a school dermatologist made me cry after I told her about my skin cancer history. This was a lie I told out of embarrassment, but at the beginning, I actually did think the marks were from burns until they wouldn't go away, so I went to the dermatologist, where I discovered they were skin cancer.Įven though the procedure to remove my two basal cell carcinomas was relatively simple (it involved my dermatologist numbing my forehead and making incisions to remove the cells), it was still a hard adjustment for a 20-year-old. I was interning at the time and returned to the office with two bandages on my head, which I said were because of burns from my hair straightener. The other two are from getting a couple of basal cell carcinomas, the most common type of skin cancer, removed in 2012 when I was just 20 years old. We have tried and tested the best SPFs for your face with high-factor protection and quick and easy absorption.A little-known fact about me: I have three separate scars all in a row across the tippy top of my forehead. The middle one was from when my brother hit me in the head with a shovel when I was 5 (an accident during family gardening gone wrong). Innovation in suncare protection has come on leaps and bounds with second skin-like formulas that feel lightweight and don’t leave residue or a white cast – so you can focus on what really matters sun, sea and sangria. Gone are the days in which sun creams are sticky, chalky and laborious. Think of it as part of your regular morning routine, like brushing your teeth.” Best natural sunscreen: mineral and reef-friendly lotionsĪpply half a teaspoon each day to give your skin sufficient coverage from harmful UVA and UVB rays as well as blue light that can cause premature skin ageing, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tones.ĭr Thivi Maruthappu Consultant Dermatologist at The Skin Health Alliance explains, “UV light is the number one cause of fine lines and wrinkles and so it makes total sense why we recommend wearing factor 30 SPF on a daily basis, even if you are spending time indoors as the light still passes through window glass.Best moisturisers with SPF for all skin types.While coating our complexions in lotions and potions up during the summer has been stressed since we were children, it should play a staple part in your skincare regime come rain or shine. New West End Company BRANDPOST | PAID CONTENT.