Deborah Meaden was diagnosed with skin cancer after her Dragon’s Den makeup artist spotted a blemish

Deborah Meaden has praised her makeup artist for insisting on being checked for skin cancer after noticing a blemish on her skin.

The 63-year-old Dragon’s Den star was examined by her doctor and later diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of skin cancer.

The businesswoman told Vogue Williams on the Taboo Talk podcast: “I was aware of that [how much the sun could damage my skin]I’m fairly fair skinned but oddly enough I never really got sunburnt and I think that was a problem for me.

Grateful: Deborah Meaden, 63, has praised her makeup artist for insisting she be checked for skin cancer after noticing a blemish on her skin

“I kind of thought I was immune to that… I thought maybe I look fair, but obviously my skin can handle it. So it was a bit of a shock when I realized that some damage had been done.

She added: “I filmed Dragon’s Den and don’t get any smudges, but my makeup artist had noticed what looked like a [tiny little] Whitehead that’s been on my face for about six weeks.

“She kept saying, ‘That’s not right, Deborah,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s really weird, I don’t usually get pimples.’ I wanted to go to Africa and thought before I go I just have to get it checked out.

Timely: Deborah explained how she was incredibly lucky to have caught the cancer early (pictured in 2019)

“I sent a picture to my doctor who said it could be something, it couldn’t but it could be something. Then he got me an appointment at a local hospital and I went and they said to me, “You have squamous epithelium.”

Deborah explained how incredibly lucky she was to have found the cancer early and admitted that if she hadn’t sought medical help, she might not have been in the same situation as she is today to tell the story.

“If I say I was lucky, we caught it incredibly early,” she said.

“I’m evangelical now about telling people if you have a little weird pimple that won’t go, don’t just think it’s a pimple.”

Honest: The TV star says she now needs to be more careful when out in the sun and is urging people to seek medical help if they’re concerned

“I’ve always looked for moles, I know all the rules about moles, I’ve never looked for anything that actually looked like a whitehead.

“I never would have known if it wasn’t for Sue, thank God.”

The TV star says she now has to be more careful when out in the sun.

She frequently checks her skin for blemishes and is much more aware of how the sun can affect her health.

“My prognosis is a factor of 50,” she explained. “I always wear a hat when I’m outside and I take care of my skin. I have regular skin exams all over my skin.’

WHAT IS PLATE CARCINOMA?

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the upper layers of the skin.

It often looks like scaly red patches, open sores, raised growths with a central depression, or warts, all of which can crust or bleed.

They can become disfiguring or life-threatening if allowed to grow.

In the United States, more than one million people are diagnosed with SCC each year. UK prevalence is unclear.

SCC is mainly caused by excessive exposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds.

People are more likely to suffer when they:

• Have light hair or light skin
• Work outside
• Are over 50
• Do you have a personal or family history of the disease?
• Have a suppressed immune system, such as chemotherapy or AIDS patients

Squamous cell carcinomas often look like scaly red patches or open sores

Although SCC can appear anywhere on the body, it most commonly occurs in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face and hands.

SCC that are detected early and removed promptly are usually curable and cause only minimal damage.

Treatment typically includes surgery to remove the growth, as well as radiation therapy and topical medications.

People can reduce their risk of developing the disorder by:

• Wear a sunscreen with a high SPF, reapplying at least every two hours or when swimming
• Cover with clothing
• Seek shade between 10am and 4pm
• No use of UV tanning benches

Source: Skin Cancer Foundation

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