Emilia Fox Suspicious Mole – Skin Cancer Scare

The Silent Witness actress Emilia Fox has spoken about a suspicious mole which led to a cancer scare in the hope of raising awareness of the need for mole checking.Emilia noticed a mole on her shoulder which she became very aware of as it was raised and unlike her other moles. She visited a clinic for examination and a biopsy of the mole was taken. Emilia said:

“I was really worried about the results because I’m well aware that skin cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the UK,” she says.

“It was just a precautionary move but still a big concern. So when the results came back a few days later and showed the mole was not cancerous it was a huge relief.”

Think Infrared Defence Campaign

Having experienced the worry of a suspicious mole first hand, Emilia is backing a new campaign called Think Infrared Defence, which is designed to raise awareness of Infrared-A which can do hidden damage to cells deep below the surface of the skin.

While UVA and UVB are better known, infrared-A rays make up 30% of the Sun’s radiation and have longer wavelengths, which means they can penetrate epidermis and dermis more easily, where they can trigger the formation of “free radicals”, damaging molecules which can attack and destroy healthy cells. In the long term, this can damage DNA and lead to skin cancer.

Emilia continues:

“It’s easy to think you’re fine in the sun but it’s important to remember that you cannot reverse skin damage.”

Suspicious Moles

Emilia’s story highlights the importance of being vigilant for ‘suspicious’ moles which just don’t seem like the rest and are a bit worrying. Dr Ross Perry, Cosmedics Skin Clinics Medical Director and one of their top mole removal doctors calls it the ‘ugly duckling sign’.

For those who have concerns about a worrying mole, the message from experts is to seek advice as soon as possible as the earliest diagnosis of an issue will give the best chance of a good outcome, while a clear diagnosis helps to put minds at rest.

Where moles are not deemed ‘suspicious’, many people choose to have them removed for cosmetic reasons. Cosmetic moles cannot unfortunately be removed on the NHS. However, private mole removal is available with organisations such as Skin Surgery Laser Clinic who have a selection of clinics based in London and Bristol. Moles are removed using the latest surgical techniques includinglaser mole removal; with trained doctors and surgeons.

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7386 0464.