Real-life ‘mermaid’ who lay on foil to boost tan gets skin cancer after ditching sun cream to not ‘break the illusion’
A REAL-LIFE “mermaid” who used to lie in tin foil to boost her tan has now got skin cancer and been left with scabs over her face.
Business owner and yoga instructor, Stephanie Huff, 46, from California, used to refuse to wear suncream and SPF as it would “break the illusion”.
Stephanie was dedicated to topping up her tan in her twenties and early thirties and would lie in the sun on foil covered in baby oil to gain a healthy glow.
Back then, the dangers of tanning and being in the sun were not that well known and skin cancer wasn’t something that Stephanie and her peers considered.
It wasn’t until Stephanie was in her thirties that she started to apply sun protection religiously, wear hats and sunglasses as she had noticed some wrinkles, related to sun damage appear on her skin.
Stephanie, who has been working as a professional mermaid for her company at outdoor events since 2016, rarely reapplied sun cream throughout the day as she thought it would destroy the illusion of her being a magical creature for children.
Except for a few fine lines, Stephanie didn’t notice any signs of skin damage from the sun until late 2019 when she noticed recurring scabs on her forehead and nose which gradually got worse.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stephanie’s dermatologist was closed for most of the quarantine lockdown, but she was able to get a virtual appointment via Zoom in June 2020 - where she was diagnosed with non-melanoma basal cell carcinoma.
Stephanie started treatment on her face in the form of a painful topical chemotherapy cream, fluorouracil, which can cause sore, red skin, for two weeks and hoped that this should be enough to eradicate the cancerous cells.
Ever since she started noticing a change in her skin, Stephanie has overhauled her skin care routine and never leaves the house without an SPF of at least 30, and wears sun hats and makes sure she stays in the shade whenever she is outside.
She is now using her experience to educate others about the dangers of the sun.
“In my twenties I’d use sunbeds at least three times a week. We had one in my house growing up,” said Stephanie.
“In my twenties, we used to lay out covered in baby oil on top of aluminium foil. I felt young and invincible.
“We weren't even really aware of the seriousness of skin cancer back then. It just wasn't on our radar. Being tan made us all feel prettier and healthier.
“I think most of the damage was definitely done before I started the mermaid business.
“However, as a mermaid, I definitely wasn't using the right sunscreen before the events given that I wasn't seeking out the super long lasting, waterproof, mineral sunscreens.
“As long as it was environmentally friendly, and SPF 30, I figured that was good enough.
"And I made a big mistake by not reapplying it throughout events. I thought it would ruin the illusion for the children.”
How to prevent skin cancer
Dr Arora, in collaboration with FOREO said sun lotion and wearing sunglasses is a great way to protect yourself.
Speaking to The Sun Dr Arora said: "To reduce your risk of developing skin cancer it is important to protect yourself from sunburn using a high spf (50) sunscreen with a UV rating of 4/5.
"Wear your sunscreen indoors also as UV rays can penetrate through windows. Always remember to reapply sunscreen every few hours. It’s also imperative to limit the time you are spending in the sun.
"Try to avoid prolonged exposure to sun during the hottest time of the day – usually between the hours of 10am-3pm. If you are out in the sunshine - try to seek shade where possible!"
She also added that shades are essential to protect your eyes and the delicate skin around them.
"Wearing a hat and clothing to cover up sun exposed sites will also help reduce the risk. Also avoid the use of tanning beds and UV lamps as these have been linked to an increase risk of melanoma."
Stephanie said she initially thought the scabs on her forehead were down to irritation from baseball caps and sunglasses, which she wears for jogs.
She added: “But after about six months, I realised that was not the case. The scabs would not go away, and more kept appearing.
Stephanie was frustrated by her diagnosis from the doctor but was relieved that she didn’t need surgery to remove it.
She now intends on incorporating sun safety in her workshops with children.
Stephanie said: “I was frustrated that I didn't take skin care as seriously as I should have. But also relieved that we caught it early and it wasn't melanoma that would've had to have been cut out.
“For the last eight or nine months my skin care routine has been, in the morning a gentle cleanser, a peptide serum, a hyaluronic serum, and a sunscreen with at least SPF 30.
“At night, I use a gentle scrub cleanser, a peptide serum, a hyaluronic serum, a retinol and an oil (I alternate between Vitamin E, Coconut, and Rose Hip oils).
“I'm super diligent about sunscreen, and always wear hats when I'm outside now. The main difference is my dedication to sunscreen and hats, some extra anti-aging steps, and staying in the shade whenever I'm outside.
"I'm still researching which is the absolute best environmentally friendly sunscreen that also offers the most protection.
“I never realised how much sun exposure you get while driving, just walking from your car into places like the grocery store or into your office.
“Those little exposures where we don’t think we need coverage or sunscreen really do add up.”
Finally, Stephanie shared her words of advice to others.
“Wear sunscreen every damn day, no excuses. Even if you ‘don't burn’. Even if you have a darker complexion. Even if there's no history of skin cancer in your family,” she said.
“Apply, and reapply. There are great tinted moisturisers and self-tanners if you want to look bronzed.
“Mostly, just be mindful, aware. I think a lot of messes we get ourselves into are simply because we are not aware.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
We shared how there is a skin cancer warning as UK faces highest ever UV levels due to drop in pollution from coronavirus crisis.
And a mum-of-two, 26, died of skin cancer after GP ‘told her mole was nothing to worry about’.