Chris Evans opened up about his battle with skin cancer as he spoke about how he protects himself from the sun on his Virgin Radio show on Wednesday as part of Skin Cancer Awareness month this May.
The broadcaster confirmed he was cancer free last September after being given the all-clear by doctors, eight weeks after being diagnosed with the condition.
And the star was joined in the studio by consultant dermatologist Dr Ellie Rashid as he spoke candidly about his first summer post-melanoma removal.
Speaking about the scar from his own melanoma removal last year, he confessed: ‘I’m now sporting a proud scar. I’ve got my scar on the back of my calf.
‘I love my scar, because the scar led me to a sunnier tomorrow and I’m still in that tomorrow today, and it’s a wonderful place to be.’
Chris Evans has opened up about his battle with skin cancer as he revealed he is proud of his scar during his Virgin Radio show on Wednesday as part of Skin Cancer Awareness month
The broadcaster confirmed he was cancer free last September after being given the all-clear by doctors, eight weeks after being diagnosed with the condition
Ellie gave tips and advice for protection from the sun as her and Chris encouraged listeners to get checked out for any marks or changes in moles.
Chris revealed it was during a massage that the massage therapist alerted him to a mole on his calf that she advised him to get checked out.
He told Ellie: ‘The next week she said to me, “Did you get it looked at?” and I said “No” and she gave me a bit more of a harder stare and she looked at me and said “Do me a favour, get it looked at”. She changed her tone.’
After finding out it was cancerous, Chris added: ‘This lady potentially saved my life and she went on a course especially designed for massage therapists to spot skin cancer’.
Speaking about his summer plans, Chris said: ‘My dermatologist, she says from now on, I always have to wear skin protection if any of my skin is naked because I’m so susceptible.’
The star is heading on holiday with his family to Portugal on Sunday, as he continued: ‘This is the first summer that I will have had skin cancer – I don’t have it anymore, thank God and I am just covering up now.
‘So we go on a holiday on Sunday we’re going to Portugal. And so my UV tops, my long sleeve UV tops arrived, last night we tried them on. Is that all good? Because I still want to go swimming with the kids.’
Ellie agreed: ‘Absolutely. So, UV protection clothing is a great idea because that’s a better line of defence against UV radiation.’
Speaking about the scar from his own melanoma removal last year, he confessed: ‘I’m now sporting a proud scar. I’ve got my scar on the back of my calf’
The star was joined in the studio by consultant dermatologist Dr Ellie Rashid as she gave tips and advice for protection from the sun as her and Chris encouraged listeners to get checked out for any marks or changes in moles
Chris had the melanoma removed from the back of his calf after his massage therapist spotted it
After finding out it was cancerous, Chris added: ‘This lady potentially saved my life and she went on a course especially designed for massage therapists to spot skin cancer’
Chris shared that he is no longer scared of the sun, post-diagnosis as he is more aware of how to protect himself.
He said: ‘People who tan really well tend to not be as frightened of the sun as somebody like me has always been, obviously. I’m not as frightened now, bizarrely, as I’ve been for years and years, because I’m forewarned and I know what to do.
‘In a way, I’m relieved by it. I’ve made peace with it, if you like.’
Ellie then advised: ‘Be liberal with your sun protection. You actually have to put on more than you realise. So for a face and neck you have to put two full finger lengths worth of sunscreen to cover that entire area.
‘Most people wouldn’t put enough moisturiser with just SPF on to get that full level of protection.
‘Wear a wide brimmed hat. Even though you’ve got a baseball cap on today, that’s still not protecting your ears and the lower parts of your face. Wide brimmed hat. And also try and avoid the sun when it’s at its most intense between 11 and 3.’
Chris also asked about being in the water in the sun as Ellie added: ‘When you go into the water, you need to be aware you need to reapply your sunscreen on afterwards.
‘So don’t go in the water and then think well I put it on for the morning so I’m covered for the whole day. So reapplication is really important. But also UV does penetrate into the water and you’re still going to get some UV exposure from swimming in the sea or swimming in the pool.’
Chris spoke about the Skcin app, from the Skcin Charity (The Karen Clifford Melanoma & Skin Cancer Charity) and how it can be used to spot and track skin changes.
He said: ‘If you do download the app, there’s lots of useful [information] there. The ABCDE mnemonic is there – for Asymmetry, a Border, Colour, Diameter and Evolving of different marks on your body, different blemishes.’
Chris has three sons Noah, 15, Eli, 12, and Walt, five, and one daughter Boo, five, with professional golfer and part-time model Natasha, 43, and the family are going on holiday together to Portugal this weekend