I grew up at Kerr Lake, like most people in Henderson. I laid out in Butter, Baby Oil, Iodine, Tropicana with 1 or 2 Spf. I lived in the days of spraying my hair with sun-in, pouring beer in my hair and even putting mayo in it just trying to lightening it. Dark skin, light hair. That’s what the 90’s was made of. When I was at NCSU, I even worked at a tanning bed on Hillsborough Street. Free tan, anyone? You know I was in that bed every night I worked and don’t forget the tingle factor lotion. But, you don’t know what you don’t know. Back then, none of us knew. We never thought about Melanoma. Never really had anyone expressing the importance of sunscreen. It’s interesting how times change. Tables turn and society molds us.

I did not become an esthetician until 2015. I started taking an interest in the science of skincare around 2012-2013 range. I found it absolutely fascinating that all you had to do, was know the composition of your skin, add in all the junk you ate (and drink), know skincare ingredients and Voila. You can make a regime that will literally change your life. Then I learned Lymphatic Drainage, gua sha, reiki treatments and I knew I never wanted to leave skin care. I just love it. But, loving it now, does not mean I didn’t abuse myself growing up.

Never wearing sun protection, living at the Lake with with Baby Oil, Going to Senior Week 4 years in a row and using tanning beds finally caught up to me in July 2024. I have been going to the Dermatologist regularly for about 18 years now. Out of those years, I have had 4 spots removed. 1 of them required 19 stitches but the diagnosis was just atypical. The others were just benign biopsies.

Keep in mind, I had just went 1 year prior and I was fine. So, I go this year. I did see a spot on my leg that was wonky looking but it was asymptomatic. It did not fit all of the A-B-C-D’s that you look for. Then, there was a spot on my back that I did not see, ever. It was in my bra line. They took both of them. The report never popped up in mychart. So, I was getting a little concerned. Then, I get the call. I was at dkpESTHETICS getting ready to close and it was raining. The dermatologist told me both spots came back Melanoma and the one on my back had progressed more than the one on my leg. She was referring me to an Oncologist and they would be giving me a call in a couple of days to set up an appointment.

I know people deal with phone calls like this daily. But, how within 1 year, did 2 spots that were not even there pop up and become Melanoma? How come this had to happen my first year in business? How did this happen at all? I am an Esthetician. I tell clients not to look out the window without sunscreen and here I am with Melanoma. Why is the word Oncologist so scary? How do I tell this? Or do I tell this? I was frozen in that pink chair in the front of my shop. I couldn’t move. Being a solo business owner is a lonely position a lot of the time. But, at that moment, it was like I was a solo business owner in a foreign country with no phone or email. I was isolated from everyone and everything.

I didn’t sleep for a couple of nights but the bright side of that, is a lot of ideas and work was completed for my business. You feel really weird walking around knowing there is something sitting on your body that can kill you if you do not get it removed. I go to the cancer center and they cut both out at the same time. Will I get more? Hard to tell. I hope not but, probably. Just because of my habits when I was in my teens and 20’s. Then I see these bright people on the Tik Tok telling people not to wear sunscreen because it gives your cancer. I know where they got there information from. And they are 100% incorrect. But, someone is going to believe them. They will not get cancer tomorrow or next year. It will show up 25-30 years later. Tik Tok will be a thing of the past by then. So, we will never see the smart asses with cancer. Just do your research and don’t believe people who say dumb things without credentials.

I do advise mineral sunscreen.

It’s really awful being a patient. It was much better being an employee. (Well, I might take that back)