Harry Jowsey reveals what he learned from skin cancer diagnosis
Harry Jowsey has revealed what he’s learned amid his skin cancer diagnosis.
The Dancing with the Stars alum took to TikTok on 26 April, urging his followers to wear sunscreen while he opened up about his melanoma detection.
“There isn’t really an easy way to say this, but last week I went to a dermatologist to get me skin checked and they found some skin cancer on me,” Jowsey said. “I’m going to be all good, everything’s going to be okay. I just wanted to make this post to let you know that summer’s going to be around the corner. Please wear sunscreen.”
Nearly a month later, Jowsey has more to say, revealing more tips for anyone who needs to hear them.
In conversation with E! News, theToo Hot To Handle star spoke about his desire to grow a community of people who are aware of the risks of skin cancer, and knowledgeable about the steps they can take to protect from it.
“I have a big audience and a big community - I feel like if I don’t do something positive with it and share what I’m going through, then it’s like a waste of a community,” he admitted during the interview at the Race to Erase MS Gala.
Jowsey continued: “As soon as I did it, there was a community of people behind me that were like: ‘Yeah, we’re doing this as well. This is good sunscreen.’ And everyone is helping each other out. So, I realised that it’s probably good to do positive things online instead of being a f***boy.”
On what he learned since dealing with skin cancer, Jowsey noted that taking care of himself was now a huge priority.
He said: “Check yourself out a little bit more. And also just don’t take life too seriously, just have fun.”
When Jowsey was told by his doctor about the detection, he began to hyperventilate. And though the medical professional made it clear “one in five people” have skin cancer, Jowsey’s panic wasn’t settled.
“It was so serious,” he noted. “Everything’s good but it was very scary.”
“The dermatologist who told me, she was like: ‘Oh are you gonna faint?’ Because I started hyperventilating and I’ve never had a panic attack before,” Jowsey added.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are a few ways you can spot signs or symptoms of melanoma.
First, if you have an “ugly duckling spot,” a spot that looks different from any other spot you have on your body. Second, following their “ABCDE” rule can detect signs.
“A is for asymmetry,” an abnormality on one half of a mole. “B is for border,” the edges are irregular, blurred, or ragged as compared to other spots. “C is for colour,” the mole is “different shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue”. “D is for diameter,” anything larger than six millimeters across. “E is for evolving,” the spot is noticeably changing.
