Tanning addict who 'grilled herself like a sausage' in the sun has 2cm chunk of skin removed after doctors discover deadly mole
- Ashley Alexander used to sunbathe with no protection until she was burnt
- In October 2014 doctors told the 27-year-old her mole was cancerous
- Had malignant melanoma and a 2cm chunk of skin was cut out of her back
- Left with a 3inch scar, she wants to warn others of the dangers of the sun
A woman obsessed with tanning has been left with a three inch scar after a malignant mole was removed from her back.
Ashley Alexander, from Cumnock, Ayrshire, was so determined to achieve the perfect tan that she would lather her skin in baby oil and sunbathe for hours on end.
But in October last year doctors discovered the 27-year-old had a mole on her back and she was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of skin cancer.
Surgeons were forced to cut a chunk out of her skin, leaving her with a large scar running down her back - a painful reminder of her ordeal.
The former sun worshipper, who has now had four operations to remove other moles across her body, now wants to warn others about the dangers of overexposure to the sun.
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Ashley Alexander, 27, was so obsessed with tanning she has been left with a three inch scar on her back after a malignant mole was removed. She is pictured in summer 2014, before having the mole removed
Miss Alexander would lather her skin in baby oil and sunbathe for hours on end, often burning (left). But in October 2014 doctors were forced to cut a 2cm chunk of skin out of her back to treat her cancer (right)
Miss Alexander had a 2cm malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer (left). Now, she has a three inch scar on her back (right) - a painful reminder of her ordeal
Miss Alexander, who was given the all clear this month, said: 'I was a sun worshipper and didn't feel right unless I had an all-over tan.
'Whenever I went on holiday, I basically treated my body like a sausage under a grill.
'Being pale skinned, for me having a tan was a great confidence boost.
'And all my friends would comment on how great I looked.
'I had no idea that my quest for the perfect tan would almost be the death of me.
'If by telling my story I can stop just one person from risking their life by not protecting their skin then it will be worth it.
'I have been left scarred for life and with the constant fear of the cancer returning.'
Since she was a teenager, Miss Alexander would bask in the sun at any opportunity, particularly during her twice yearly holidays abroad to hot destinations, such as Lanzarote and Majorca.
Despite being fair skinned, she would lather her skin in carrot oil and low factor creams - sometimes ditching sun protection completely.
Miss Alexander, who works as an NHS support worker, continued: 'I didn't care about protecting my skin and when I burnt, I just turned over to do the other side.
'I used to be really arrogant about it and say to my mum, "it's fine, I'll be brown tomorrow."
'I was really naive about the damage I was doing to my skin.'
Miss Alexander, who lives with mother Karen, 46, and sisters, Aynsley, 21 and Aimee, nine, was just 15 years old when her grandmother Roberta Mcfadyean, 69, noticed a suspicious looking mole on her back.
Her GP referred her to a dermatologist, who removed it and sent it off for testing.
Thankfully, she received a letter, confirming that the mole was benign.
But she received a stark warning from the dermatologist about the importance of sun protection.
She said: 'He warned me that with my blue eyes and fair skin, I was at higher risk of skin cancer and advised me to wear high factor sunscreen and cover up in the sun.
'But I ignored his warnings.'
And when Miss Alexander noticed a reddened mole on her back last year, she admits that she waited six months before visiting the doctor.
She said: 'I noticed a mole on my back had become itchy, but ignored it and carried on with life. I even went on a girls' holiday to Majorca where I continued to sunbathe.
'In the end it was my mum who forced me to go to the doctor and get it checked.'
She was immediately referred to a dermatologist at University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock, where they performed a biopsy on the mole.
During surgery, two centimetres of affected tissue was removed.
Three weeks later she was diagnosed with stage one malignant melanoma and she was told she needed more tissue removed around the mole.
Malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is now five times more common than in the 1970s.
In the UK there are now more than 13,000 cases and more than 2,000 deaths a year, according to Cancer Research UK. In 1975 the figure was just 1,800.
The total is expected to surge to 20,000 a year by 2027, the charity warns.
'Whenever I went on holiday, I basically treated my body like a sausage under a grill,' Miss Alexander said
Miss Alexander is pictured (middle) with her friends Carron (left) and Carol (right) at 15 when she first had a benign mole removed
Miss Alexander, pictured with her grandparents Roberta and Archie on Christmas 2014, says having cancer made her rethink her 'cocky attitude'. 'A short-lived tan is not worth a lifetime of worry,' she said.
Miss Alexander, who has never used a sunbed, says: 'As soon as the specialist broke the news, my cocky attitude was long gone.
'My mum started to cry, but I was in shock.
'Thankfully, they told me they'd caught it early, so it was treatable.'
Experts warn that sunburn can double the risk of malignant melanoma, even if it is just one time.
Two weeks later, surgeons removed more tissue from the Miss Alexander's back, leaving her with a three inch scar on her back.
Since then, she has had four further moles removed from her body, but thankfully, none have been cancerous.
Now, she dreads hot days and spends most of her time in the shade, wearing long sleeved tops.
'I use factor 50 even on cold days, as I feel so paranoid about other moles being affected,' she said.
'I hope my story will inspire others to slap on the sun block whenever the sun is shining.
'A short-lived tan is not worth a lifetime of worry.'
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