Meredith Masony is a massive force in the mom blogger world. The wife and mother of three founded her blog That's Inappropriate in 2014 after a cancer scare made her want to leave her mark on the world. Now the 38-year-old has found herself in the midst of another health scare, this time with skin cancer.
Meredith took to Instagram to share how what she thought was a patch of eczema turned out to be skin cancer. "Remember when I told you I got checked by my dermatologist? Well, I have skin cancer. Yup. I’m 38 and I have a skin cancer on my scalp," she revealed.
She went on to explain that because it was caught early, it was likely that it hadn't spread much. After explaining that the next steps included a visit to a plastic surgeon, Meredith urged her followers to regularly check in with a dermatologist. She also vowed to share this journey with her fans.
Meredith Masony is the host of the That's Inappropriate podcast. She's been running a blog by the same name since 2014. She began the blog after feeling like the only mom constantly losing it as life unfolded around her.
Something scary happened to Meredith that year. She had been sick for months and couldn't determine why. She was persistent, demanding an endoscopy. The results were unclear and required Meredith to have surgery.
Thankfully, Meredith awoke to her husband informing her that she didn't have cancer. A recent visit to the dermatologist didn't go as smoothly, unfortunately. After going to get checked out for what she thought was a spot of eczema on her scalp, she learned that it was actually skin cancer.
"Remember when I told you I got checked by my dermatologist? Well, I have skin cancer. Yup. I’m 38 and I have a skin cancer on my scalp," she revealed in an Instagram post. "I got the news today while driving in an Uber. I have to see a plastic surgeon in a few weeks to have more removed."
Thankfully, it was caught early and there wasn't any reason to expect that it had spread much. "It is so important to get checked by a dermatologist regularly as well as anytime something new shows up. [That] spot on my scalp was only a few weeks old," she reminded her followers.
Meredith spoke more about her diagnosis with Scary Mommy. "I have been vigilant about checking my skin for the past 10 years or so but this type of skin cancer that I had grew quickly — it wasn’t an existing mole," she explained.
"It was a brand new spot and it spread quickly … I almost didn’t go in to get it checked because I thought it was an infected zit or something," she added. Now Meredith is dedicating to educating her followers and reminding them to stay on top of their health.
"Please wear hats, sunscreen, swim shirts, etc. this summer and any time you are in the sun," she urged followers in another post. "We never wore anything as kids and now I’m paying for it as an adult."
After her surgery, Meredith reminded her followers yet again. She knew some might be tired of the message, but she felt it was important enough to continue reiterating. "It was stage 2 and for a while I mistook it as a pimple," she recalled. "The type of skin cancer that I had is the kind that becomes melanoma, which is deadly. Please be vigilant and take precautions in the sun."
One in five people in the United States will develop skin cancer at some point of their lifetime. That's why it's incredibly important to make a dermatologist visit part of your health care routine. You should get at least one skin screening each year.
It's important to take care of yourself when you are in the sun, as Meredith discussed. That means regularly applying an appropriately rated sunscreen whenever your skin is exposed and avoiding exposure where possible.
Avoiding the use of tanning beds is also important. Despite the fact that they aren't as popular as they once were, the use of indoor tanning beds has been a significant factor in the rise of skin cancer cases in the United States each year.
Aside from getting checked by a professional, it's also important to keep an eye on your own skin. You should know where you have any moles, marks, etc. and watch for any change in size, shape, or texture.
Skin cancer can be a scary ordeal regardless of the type it is and how early or late it is caught. It's an important reminder of the things that matter most, including taking good care of yourself and your family. If you have any concerns at all, it's best to check with your doctor.
