Fergie Diagnosed with Dangerous Skin Cancer Like Bob Marley
February 2, 2024
Only months after her battle with breast cancer ended with a mastectomy, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was diagnosed with skin cancer while undergoing reconstructive surgery. A mole that was noticed by a dermatologist was later identified as malignant melanoma. If discovered early enough, melanoma can usually be treated successfully.
“Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer but it is one of the most dangerous,” says Michael Steppie, M.D. and Orlando Mohs Cancer Surgeon. Dr. Steppie was recently cited as spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation in an area magazine article Protect Yourself, which stresses the need for routine skin checks including those areas that too often get overlooked.
According to Fergie's spokesperson, the Duchess wants everyone to know how important it is to check the size, shape, color and texture of new moles for warning signs of melanoma. Plus, no matter your risk profile, examine your skin head-to-toe once a month to identify potential cancers. The former wife of Prince Andrew previously collaborated with her daughters for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Her oldest, Princess Beatrice, also worked with skin cancer patients and is patron of the British Skin Foundation.
Untreated Melanoma Can Be Deadly at Any Age
Prince Harry recently joined wife Meghan Markle in Kingston, Jamaica, for the premiere of new movie Bob Marley: One Love. Most fans didn't know that Marley died of Melanoma skin cancer. Sadly, the legendary singer, musician and songwriter did not live as long as he should have. Marley dismissed a dark spot under his toenail as a sports injury but it turned out to be an aggressive type of skin cancer called ALM (acral lentiginous melanoma).
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, if Marley’s cancer had been caught earlier, it likely could have been cured. However, left untreated, Marley's melanoma metastasized and the "Father of Reggae" was gone at age 36. While ALM is relatively rare, it is the most common form of melanoma found in people of color. The movie Bob Marley: One Love is expected to be released in the U.S. in February of this year.
Knowing the warning signs of melanoma and other forms of skin cancer, watching for skin changes, and treating skin cancer early on can make a huge difference in treatment outcomes. Although most melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from tanning beds, ALM develops on hairless skin such as under nails, on the soles of the feet, or the palms of the hands and is more likely caused by genetic factors.
#LoveYourSkin Campaign Honors Bob Marley
In honor of Bob Marley, and to raise awareness about the dangers of skin cancer, you are invited to join the Skin Cancer Foundation’s public awareness campaign — #LoveYourSkinProtectYourSkin — which is focused on promoting skin cancer education, early detection, and sun protection for skin of color. Working together through the #LoveYourSkinProtectYourSkin, the Skin Cancer Foundation hopes people will help one another by sharing both the facts and the love. Remember, loving your skin means protecting your skin and early diagnosis of skin cancer can be a matter of life and death, so check yours regularly for hidden dangers. If you are a skin cancer warrior who would like to stay in touch, click here to enter your email address for the Skin Cancer Foundation monthly e-newsletter.
Fitzpatrick Skin Tone Scale
Developed in 1975 by American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, the scale provides a numerical system for classifying human skin color based on the amount of melanin in the skin, how the skin reacts to sun exposure, and the skin’s tendency to tan. Fitzpatrick was seeking a scientific way to help determine a patient’s risk of sunburn when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The scale breaks down skin tones into six categories starting with the lightest to the darkest.
Dr. Fitzpatrick believed that by answering a series of questions about the color of your eyes, hair and skin as well as how your skin reacts to sun exposure could be used to calculate burn time. For over five decades, the Fitzpatrick skin tone scale has even been used by dermatologists to recommend at what age you should start having annual skin cancer exams. For example people, who are Type I (white skin, blond hair, green eyes), always burn in the sun and have freckles, should begin skin checks at age 30.
Conversely, Type VI skin tones have black hair and dark skin tone with brown or black eyes and tan rather than burn when exposed to the sun's rays. Type VI individual's skin is deeply pigmented and they do not have freckles. With red hair and fair skin Sarah Ferguson is a Type I Fitzpatrick Skin Tone, whereas Bob Marley was Type VI. Both serve as important reminders that men and women of any age or any skin tone can develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Since melanoma often likes to hide in less noticed areas of skin, it is important to do a skin check from head to toe every month with an annual dermatologic examination. And don’t forget, be sure to check areas that don’t get much sunlight, like the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet, and under your fingernails and toenails. If you see anything new, anything changing or anything unusual, it’s important to get it checked out by a dermatologist at one of the Associates in Dermatology Orlando locations.
Sunscreen Slows the Skin’s Aging Process
As the body’s largest organ, your skin is very much a living part of your body and is self-repairing once you stop subjecting it to sun damage. By minimizing exposure to sources of UV radiation, your skin can regenerate, repair and even restore a smoother look by producing new collagen for a thicker texture. The degree of protection needed is related to the amount of ultraviolet radiation associated with burning for your number on the Fitzpatrick skin tone scale.
“There are excellent sun protection studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of using a broad spectrum sunscreen or physical sunblock to protect against the three most common skin cancers [basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma],” says Dr. Steppie. “A chemical sunscreen and a mineral sunblock use different mechanisms for filtering harmful UV rays to protect your skin from sun damage.”
Chemical sunscreens are absorbed into your skin and UV rays penetrate the surface before reaching the chemical layer. Due to the heat-releasing nature of chemical sunscreens and a lack of protection against UVA radiation, damage can occur to deeper layers of skin, which may be problematic for sensitive skin, individuals with hyperpigmentation, or acne-prone skin. Mineral sunblock sits on top of the skin and deflects harmful rays to avoid UV surface penetration.
NOTE: According to UC Davis Health, sun protection that blocks both UVA and UVB is important for preventing sun burning, photoaging, pigmentation disorders, and skin cancers for people of all ages and all skin types, including those with Type VI skin tones. Although skin types IV-VI seldom burn, they are prone to hyperpigmentation due to UV exposure. Plus, melanoma is more likely to appear where the sun doesn’t shine in people of color, so regular skin checks are still necessary for healthy skin care.
Selecting a Broad Spectrum Sunblock
The purpose of sunscreen is to prevent skin cancer and the early aging of skin due to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Sunlight is made up of UVA (photoaging wavelengths) and UVB (sunburn wavelengths), so proper application of a broad spectrum sunscreen is important for preventing skin cancers in all skin types. For everyday use like driving to work, use a broad spectrum tinted sunscreen to blend with your skin tone and protect it from harmful rays.
“Sun protection is a more complex skin care issue than once thought,” Dr. Steppie adds. “Your personal risk for skin damage is based on many factors, such as your skin tone, amount of unprotected exposure, and genetic makeup. Wearing protective clothing and UV-blocking sunglasses coupled with routine application of a broad spectrum sunscreen or sunblock are smart practices that help prevent sun damage and skin cancer.”
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