A 30-year-old flight attendant who thought a red patch on her face was eczema was diagnosed with skin cancer. Beth Brown, from Weymouth, Dorset, said she never wore SPF and used sun beds for up to 20 minutes from age 22.
Diagnosis After Months of Waiting
Beth noticed the patch on the side of her head two years ago. It became flaky and scabbed, and she assumed it was eczema, which she had as a child. But the patch grew and sometimes bled. By October 2025, she could no longer cover it with makeup. Her boyfriend's mother, a doctor, suggested it could be basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common skin cancer. Tests confirmed the diagnosis.
Beth faced a six-month wait for surgery. “I was so scared that it would grow while I was waiting,” she said. On May 17, 2026, she had the tumor removed and chose to leave the wound open instead of having a skin graft. “I’d told my work I’d be back the next day as I thought I'd just have a little stitch, but I walked out with a hole in my face,” she said.
Impact of Sun Bed Use
Beth started using sun beds in 2018, initially for six minutes, then eight, and eventually 20 minutes. She used them twice a month or once a week. “It scares me now, but it was just the norm,” she said. “On social media, being tanned is portrayed as being cool, but it’s quite sad really, as actually you are damaging your skin.”
After her diagnosis, Beth’s mother also had a check-up and was diagnosed with BCC. Beth has since stopped using sun beds and now wears SPF 50 daily. “I don’t think girls realise you can still get a tan whilst wearing sun cream. It just protects your skin,” she said.
Warning to Others
Beth said: “I was very naïve, I thought it would never happen to me. I definitely regret using sun beds now. When I was diagnosed with BCC, I felt so freaked out and also really stupid. I thought, ‘have I done this to myself?’ I just want to help other girls and raise awareness that it is more common than you think, and it could happen to you.”
She now prioritizes shade and hats. “I’m a sunshine baby at heart, but I make sure to look after my skin. I wear SPF every day now, I can’t imagine going outside without putting it on my face.”
