Skin cancer survivor and ex model Carina Lagnado, 45, from Summerset, has had 400 stitches to remove skin cancers from her body. Carina now wears KALME Day Defence SPF25 every day to protect her delicate skin from the sun and calm her scars down.
Carina says:
My skin is a patchwork of scars but I don’t care as I am truly lucky to be alive. I used to be a model but now I just do a bit of modelling work for fun. I don’t care about my scars, in fact I’m proud of them as they remind me of how lucky I am to be alive today.
I want young women to read my story as a stark reminder of how dangerous sunbathing can be. I used to tan as a teenager and my parents were pretty lax about sun cream.
[quote]I got burned quite a few times as a young girl and at 29 years old I developed skin cancer. I had two melanoma tumours removed which almost cost me my life. Since then I have been to hell and back and have had 22 moles removed and 400 stitches across my entire body. I have been told numerous times by doctors that I am lucky to be alive.[/quote]
I have a teenager daughter with very fair skin like me and she also has red hair and I have drummed into her the dangers of sunbathing like I did at her age. I have taught her to be proud of her lovely fair skin and not to try and always be tanning like so many young girls do still, despite all the warnings about skin cancer. Young people just do not realise the danger they are putting themselves in.
It’s truly tragic that young girls still tan their skin in the name of beauty. It makes me sick when I see fashion models with deep tans, it gives young girls a very dangerous message and I am living proof of that. I used to love the look of a nice tan. Now I am terrified of the sun.
I literally never step outside my door without at least factor 25 on now. I have discovered an amazing sun scream called KALME, which is SPF25 but is totally natural and has a micronized zinc ingredient in it that offers great sun protection but without chemicals or whiteness on the skin. I am worried about the chemical sin sun creams and as I wear it everyday, I need to feel secure that what I am putting on my skin is not going to harm me.
[quote]I love the fact that KALME SPF25 is completely natural yet offers a decent SPF. It means I can use it every day comes rain or shine without worrying. It makes me feel secure in the sun and that I can get on en enjoy my life without constantly fretting about chemicals on my skin or the sun burning me.[/quote]
The anti-redness ingredient t in KALME also calms down my scars and makes them look less furious.
Obviously I avoid being out in midday sun nor do I expose my skin for too long to sun. But I can walk on the beach in shorts and enjoys being outside in the sun shine. I always make sure I wear a hat and if the sun is string I will put a higher factor on any exposed bits of skin. But for everyday protection a natural SPF25 is ideal. I’d encourage everyone with fair skin to wear an SPF25 every day if they are outside, even in winter and even if its not that sunny.
I was in a communal changing rooms recently of a fashion store and I saw this girl who took off her top and on her back she had what I knew was a skin melanoma. I had to say something to her. I told her not to panic, but she told me to mind my own business. Her friend came up to me and said she was sorry and that she would make her go to the doctor to check it out. It scares the hell out of me when I am on the beaches near my home and I see young women tanning themselves to crisps. I would not wish what happened to me to on anyone. It’s terrifying and unlike a tan which fades in just a few weeks, the fear of another melanoma appearing is with you for life, every single day.
For more information on KALME sun care follow the link
