This Too Shall Pass
- Beloved Denver meteorologist Kathy Sabine, 57, recently had cancer removed from her nose and has been sharing her recovery journey as she advocates for skin cancer prevention.
- The Lake Tahoe-born news personality, who is finally back on the air this week after quite an intense month, still vividly recalls when she found out the seemingly harmless mark on her nose was dangerous.
- The spot on Kathy’s nose was a basal cell-squamous cell carcinoma hybrid. The first type, basal cell, is the most common, and squamous cell is slow-growing and typically not life-threatening.
- Avoiding the sun during peak hours, covering up as much as possibleand consistently applying higher-SPF sunscreenare some top ways to protect your skin from the sun.
The Lake Tahoe-born news personality, who is finally back on the air this week after quite an intense month, still vividly recalls when she found out the seemingly harmless mark on her nose was dangerous.
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"I started crying, I was in disbelief. And then I thought, is this going to be a career ender for me? … Is this it? I'm going to be done before I'm ready to be done in my 50s."Early last month, Kathy underwent Mohs surgery, an extremely precise surgical technique for removing skin cancer.
The spot on her nose was a “basal cell-squamous cell carcinoma hybrid,” Kathy said. The first type, basal cell, is the most common, and squamous cell is slow-growing and typically not life-threatening.
In addition to that, surgeons removed another squamous cell carcinoma between her eyes, on the bridge of her nose. Thankfully, the last questionable spot they found was benign, or non-cancerous.
Mohs Surgery Removes Skin Cancer With Smaller Incisions and More Certainty
Kathy chose to have plastic surgery to cover up the three holes on her face, and had to “reconstruct her nose using cartilage from her ear.”
By documenting her terrifying journey on social media, she was able to receive support and comfort from others who had gone through the same.
"So many people shared with me how they were scared and depressed and isolated and hid in their homes when their face looked like mine," she said.
"I just wanted to get out there and say, 'Look, you can get back to your life. You can survive this.' … If I can inspire one person through that journey, because I get all those feelings, I'm so here for it."
Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Skin From Skin Cancer
Unfortunately, as we know, the sun is not your friend. For most people, there are simple ways to significantly reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. We asked dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman to provide the top five ways to protect your skin from skin cancer. Turns out, most of her recommendations are really simple to implement, and could save your life.
- Avoid sun during peak hours This means from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It doesn't mean you should never go outside during the middle of the day, but make sure you're protected when you do venture outdoors.
- Cover your skin and eyes A wide brim hat and sun glasses will protect your face, the top of your head, your ears, and the delicate skin around your eyes.
- Wear an SPF of 30 or higher This is easy enough. Plenty of facial moisturizers have SPF built into them. Dr. Engelman also recommends reapplying every few hours, or after excessive sweating or swimming.
- Get an annual skin check You can check your own skin for anything that looks out of the ordinary, but you should still get a yearly check to make sure you didn't miss anything. If you do happen to notice anything out of the ordinary in between checks, schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor about it ASAP it is always worth it to make sure.
- Avoid tanning beds This one is obvious … but just a reminder, tanning beds can significantly increase your risk of developing melanoma. If you feel like you're just too pale, Dr. Engelman recommends a sunless tanner. "There's absolutely no benefit to going to a tanning bed," Dr. Engelman said.
Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Skin
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