sensible, accurate advice please

[Brychni]

I have an actinic keratosis on the bridge of my nose and what looks like a BCC which has sprung up pretty quickly on the side of my forehead.

I am white, freckly but don't burn easily. 53 yr old female.

Live in UK in near darkness (!). Work indoors and cover up with a hat in the summer sun.

I don't go abroad on hot sunny holidays regularly and never have.

My question is: should I be using an spf every day? Really.

I am aware that the risk of burning in an office between the months of October and March (?) in the UK are pretty much zero but what about if you already have a 'thing'. I've had the cream treatment twice although dermatology have been s*** in that they haven't told me what happens after use: does it go away? Does it drop off? It's still there, 8 months later and I don't know what I'm supposed to do next. GP has forwarded my queries.

I have been wearing SPF every day but it really doesn't agree with my skin. My bathroom cupboard is full of all sorts of sunscreen, mostly really expensive.. La Roche Posay, Ultra Violette, Bondai Sands, Tropic Skincare, Garnier, Beauty of Joseon, HaruHaru...and probably more: they ALL, without exception bring me out in hideous acne to the point I have also now got some Differin acne gel and Benzoyle Peroxide on prescription from GP.

Before the spots got really bad I first noticed that my skin was becoming really disgustingly congested with lots of blocked pores. I know it's the SPF because as soon as I stop using it my skin returns to normal.

BTW: I am aware that to avoid wrinkles (not the same as cancer) an spf every day is OK if that's what you want to do.

[Fernsong]

Hi Brychni, I'm sorry you're having problems and thought if I share my one and only skin cancer experience (and hopefully my last!) with you that it may help you in some way.

I've always had a fairly small, flat mole on the inside of my thigh just above my knee. I'm fair-skinned and was brought up in New Zealand, where the UV rays are notoriosly strong in the summer months and I suffered sunburn frequently!

In 2020, whilst being checked by a dermatologist for another problem, the mole was noticed and a biopsy done. Luckily, it was caught early and the melanoma was completely removed. I've been checked regularly since and so far, so good.

Since that episode, I've taken to wearing a hat and sunscreen in the hottest months when I go out in the sun. I'm 71 and live in France now.

I have all the time in the world for SKCIN and their advice but I don't think it's necessary to wear protective sunscreen every single day. It definitely isn't going to cure whatever lesion you do have on your nose and may well be aggravating it. I think you should seek the advice of a trusted dermatologist and take it from there. Do some research and be assertive; passive patients are often not taken very seriously. Good luck.

[Murk]

A couple of thoughts. Many of the things that occur in our lives comes from and is inherited from our parents or even our parents parents. Over time, aging and exposure to every day life, products etc can be a factor. Sunscreens are a foreign substance, can be an irritant and even have adverse effects. I was stunned to find out how many off the shelf products have carcinogens.