A doctor has issued an urgent warning about four signs of skin cancer as ex-beauty pageant contestant Danielle Lloyd shares her devastating diagnosis.
The Liverpool-born former Miss England and Miss Great Britain took to Instagram to inform her followers she had been “diagnosed with a form of skin cancer,” explaining: “I don’t really know how to say this and I didn’t know whether to come on and say it but I feel like I have to raise awareness of this happening to other people.
“Today I have been diagnosed with a form of skin cancer. And I just want to raise awareness for anyone who might think they’ve got something funny on their bod, they see a mole that’s growing that’s not normal – please please please go to your doctor. You just never know.”
Symptoms to watch for
LA-based dermatologist Dr Chris Tomassian shared on TikTok the danger signs that could suggest a mole or skin lesion is cancerous. He recommends seeking medical attention if moles are ‘growing rapidly’, ‘changing in shape or size quickly’, ‘bleed easily’ or are ‘painful’.
“We will take care of you. Come see your dermatologist,” he urges.
NHS advice
According to the NHS, there are a number of different forms of skin cancer. These include melanoma skin cancers and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Melanoma skin cancer is more likely to spread to other areas of the body. “The main cause of melanoma is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds,” the NHS website reads.
Symptoms include: having a mole with an uneven shape or edges; having a mole with a mix of colours; having a particularly large mole; and having a mole that change over time.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a non-melanoma skin cancer, is a more common type of skin cancer – in fact, it is the most common in the UK. It starts in the top layer of skin and can often easily be treated.
Symptoms of BCC include having a new mole or changes to an existing mole or having an abnormality on a patch of skin. These can vary in size, shape, colour and texture. Check out the NHS website for more details.
Danielle’s story
Danielle doesn’t yet know whether her skin cancer has spread. In her video, she continued: “You just never know.
“I’m really shocked at what I’ve been told today but I’ve been really supported by the Macmillan nurses at the hospital. I am going to have to have an operation to see if it has spread.
“But yeah, just honestly, not what I expected today.” She also advised followers to “stay off sunbeds and wear factor 50 [sun screen]” to reduce their risk of developing skin cancer.
This is not the first time Danielle has been candid about her health. She previously disclosed that she suffers from endometriosis and adenomyosis and had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. As a result, she can no longer have children.
In April 2024, she also posted a picture of herself in a hospital bed post-surgery. In the caption, she wrote: “Alive and well after surgery. Thanks for all your lovely messages.”