Singer-Songwriter Diagnosed With Basal Cell Carcinoma In Her 30s After Dismissing Tiny Blemish As a ‘Blocked Pore.’ Now She Insists ‘Early Detection Is Everything’

“Early detection is everything. Know your skin. Protect your skin — wear SPF.”

The music artist and clean beauty advocate admitted that the “years of youthful sun-chasing had caught up” to her, despite her efforts of wearing sunscreen and staying out of the sun when she can.

Elle L wrote, “On 31 December 2024 I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a non-melanoma skin cancer. It had been a tiny blemish above my right eyebrow — barely noticeable to the naked eye.

“Advanced skin analysis and aestheticians had reassured me that the blemish was nothing to worry about. A Visia scan recently assessed my skin age as 24 — younger than I am. To say my diagnosis was a shock is an understatement.”

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She continued, “Before Christmas, I booked an appointment at the Montrose clinic to check some marks on my legs. They turned out to be harmless sunspots.

“While there, I mentioned a tiny 2mm mark above my right eyebrow, assuming it was just a blocked pore. My dermatologist, Dr Eirini Merika, examined it with her dermatoscope and took photographs. She asked me if I had ever used tanning beds or lived abroad.”

Recounting how she spent much of her teens tanning to get the perfect bronzed look, she said her doctor ultimately suggested a biopsy be taken of the suspicious mark on her face, which would remove the mark.

Elle L, whose most popular song on Spotify is “You,” continued, “Over Christmas, I convinced myself it was nothing — even Google suggested it was harmless; the mind sees what it wants when we are looking for reassurance.

“But on New Year’s Eve that illusion was shattered. My phone rang. My surgeon said the words I didn’t want to hear: “It’s basal cell carcinoma. Infiltrative. A more aggressive subtype, but localized and [thankfully] very treatable.”

Her doctor then informed her she would need a second surgery to remove the cancer.

“My second excision was quick, leaving five stitches. Then, the call I’d been hoping for: “All clear”. A sigh of relief and a new scar — something to now be treated with reverence,” she concluded.

“What have I learned? Our skin tells stories for us to listen to. For me, beauty has been redefined as resilience. I’m grateful for healing. Now, I’m investing in something deeper: a promise to respect the skin I’m in, and pay it due diligence.”

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How Dangerous Is Basal Cell Carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, is the most common form of skin cancer. It develops when basal cells, one of three main types of cells in the top layer of the skin, grow abnormally or uncontrollably. In the United States, an estimated 3.6 million cases of BCC are diagnosed each year.

BCC is unique because it tends to grow slowly. This means it generally causes minimal damage and is usually curable when caught and treated early. Still, untreated BCC lesions can grow and become disfiguring and dangerous.

“Untreated BCCs can become locally invasive, grow wide and deep into the skin and destroy skin, tissue and bone,” the Skin Cancer Foundation website says. “The longer you wait to get treatment, the more likely it is that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly.

“There are some highly unusual, aggressive cases when BCC spreads to other parts of the body. In even rarer instances, this type of BCC can become life-threatening.”

Mohs Surgery Removes Skin Cancer With Smaller Incisions and More Certainty

There are some “highly unusual, aggressive cases when BCC spreads to other parts of the body.” Rarer cases of aggressive BCC can even become life-threatening.

Still, BCCs rarely spread beyond the original tumor site. But the longer treatment is delayed, the more likely it is that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly. That’s why we stress the importance of treating BCC and treating it early. This can prove difficult, however, because BCC can often disguise itself as a pimple or skin tag.

RELATED: Thankful Model, 26, Shows Surgery Scars After ‘A Small Freckle’ Turned Out To Be Cancer — Spotting It Early Saved Her Life

The Skin Cancer Foundation says they can look like open sores, red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, scars or growths with slightly elevated, rolled edges and/or a central indentation. The spots can ooze, crust, itch or bleed, and spots on people with darker skin can be pigmented (brown in color).

If you ever find yourself noticing a spot on your skin that seems abnormal for you, make sure to bring it up with your doctor. BCC can vary from person to person, so it’s always a good idea to pay attention to your skin, confront your doctor about anything questionable and prioritize checkups with a dermatologist.

Treating Basal Cell Carcinoma

When someone undergoes surgery for BCC, it typically involves Mohs surgery. This procedure is microscopically controlled, and thin layers of skin cancer tissue are removed layer by layer until the surgeon reaches clear tissue.

Diagnosis: Before surgery, a dermatologist or skin specialist will diagnose the basal cell carcinoma. This is typically done through a skin biopsy, where a small sample of the affected area is removed and examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of cancerous cells.

Pre-operative evaluation: Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient’s overall health and the specific characteristics of the BCC, such as its size, location, and depth, are evaluated to determine the most appropriate surgical approach.

“You are able to remove a very conservative margin around cancer and study it in essentially real-time,,” explains Dr. Sumaira Aasi, Professor of Dermatology and Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery at Stanford. If cancer is found when the surgeon examines the tissue under the microscope, the surgeon goes back and removes some more tissue.

The idea is that by making the tiniest cuts and evaluating them microscopically, the surgeon knows for certain that all the cancer is out when the last piece of tissue proves to be clear. It is often done as an outpatient procedure with local anesthetic.

Reconstruction: Depending on the size and location of the surgical site, reconstructive surgery may be necessary to optimize cosmetic outcomes and restore the function of the treated area. This could involve sutures, skin grafts, or other techniques.

Post-operative care: After the surgery, patients are typically given instructions for wound care, which may include keeping the area clean, changing dressings, and avoiding sun exposure to prevent further damage to the skin.

Follow-up: Regular follow-up appointments are essential to monitor the surgical site for any signs of recurrence and to address any concerns or complications.

Five Ways to Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer

Skin cancer can happen to anyone and develop at any time of year. It tends to occur on parts of the body that see more sun like the face, head, neck and arms, but it can also develop anywhere, including places like the bottoms of your feet, your genitals and the inside of your mouth.

If you’re wanting to minimize your risk of developing skin cancer, check out these tips from Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue

Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Skin From Skin Cancer

• Avoid sun during peak hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect the tops of our heads, the tops of our ears and the delicate area around the eye.
• Wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen and make sure to reapply every two hours or after excessive sweating or swimming.
• Have yearly skin checks (with a professional) because it’s difficult to evaluate areas all over the body.
• Avoid tanning beds. There are no “good” tanning beds, and they can significantly increase your risk of skin cancer.

In addition, make sure to prioritize skin protection all year round. People often focus on things like sunscreen use solely in the summer, but our experts know skin damage can happen at any time of the year.

RELATED: Choose the Right Sunscreen and Use It Often

Which Sunscreen Should I Choose To Prevent Cancer?

“My patients ask me all the time, ‘Do I really need sunscreen every day, all year round?’ The answer is yes,” Dr. Engelman told SurvivorNet.

“People think they only need sun protection when they’re in the bright, warm sunshine. But the reality is, we can get sun damage at any time throughout the year, even in the cold, wintry months. Think about when you go skiing. That’s a very high risk. Even though it’s cold, our skin should be protected.”

Skin Cancer Checklist:

In between doctor visits, doing regular self-checks on your skin is also important to find skin cancer early. Again, particularly if you’re high-risk.

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends looking at your skin once a month for anything suspicious and using the acronym ABCDE as a checklist:

• Asymmetrical moles: if you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match
• Borders: irregular, jagged, not smooth; can also stand for bleeding
• Colors: multiple distinct colors in the mole
• Diameter: larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser
• Evolution: This may be the most important, anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, or changing shape.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.

• What type of skin cancer do I have?
• What treatment options exist for this type of cancer?
• Will insurance cover this treatment?
• Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense to me?
• What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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