Model Alison Bowles, 28, Says She Used to Be Mocked for Her Moles — After One Turned Out to Be Melanoma, She Became Skin Cancer Advocate

Finding Purpose Amid Health Challenges

• Swimsuit model Alison Bowles, 28, says a mole on her back led to the discovery of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color.
• Now, she’s using her experience to warn others to monitor their moles.
• In melanoma, the cells change in a way that allows them to spread to other organs, making it a severe type of skin cancer that requires quick attention and treatment. In early-stage disease, surgery can be curative.
• Experts recommend checking your body for unusual spots or moles at least once a month. If you find any new spots or changes in size or color, it’s important to see a doctor right away.
• Wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, avoiding tanning beds, and avoiding direct sunlight during peak hours (10 a.m.—2 p.m.) can help reduce skin cancer risk.

Popular swimsuit and runway model Alison Bowles, 28, is used to getting lots of attention, but she’s now using her body to raise skin cancer awareness. Bowels says she once had online trolls criticize moles on parts of her body. However, one of those moles turned out to be melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer.

Bowles has graced the covers of several magazines. She’s unafraid to show off lots of skin in an array of colorful bikinis, as seen on her Instagram. A couple of years ago, in 2022, the model discovered a mole on her back. She says she had a friend who was previously diagnosed with melanoma, which made her aware of signs/symptoms. This type of skin cancer starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. By having a front-row seat to her friend’s skin cancer journey, Bowles quickly learned to monitor moles and other unusual spots on her skin closely for any changes. The spot on Bowles’ back raised more concern, so the model went to see her dermatologist. A biopsy revealed the spot was melanoma.

“Sure enough, it was cancerous,” Bowles told U.K.-based news outlet The Irish Sun. Bowles underwent surgery to remove the mole. “I remember walking into my surgery and the doctor warning me, ‘I am not going to sugar coat this, I don’t know if we can get everything out, you may have to do radiation if not,'” Bowles recalled the surgeon telling her. Luckily, Bowles’ surgery was successful, and she’s now using her story to encourage others to check their bodies regularly.

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• Cancer-Causing Chemical Found in Banana Boat Sunscreen Leads to Recall; How to Select the Right Sunscreen for Your Skin

What is Melanoma?

Melanoma starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In melanoma, the cells change, allowing them to spread to other organs. Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. You’ll want to watch them and tell your doctor about any changes you notice. You’re most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed skin areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. However, you might also find it in other places, like:

• The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
• On your eyes or mouth
• Under your nails

WATCH: How to perform a skin check using the ABCDE method SurvivorNet experts recommend avoiding unprotected sun exposure because ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to melanoma. Tanning beds also pose ultraviolet radiation risks for skin cancer and should be avoided. Many dermatologists recommend using spray tans to reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer. The most important thing to look for when it comes to finding melanoma is a new spot on your skin or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color.

How is Melanoma Treated?

Treatment options for melanoma include targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which give people a better chance of living a long and healthy life. If you’re diagnosed with melanoma, there’s a good chance surgery will be the treatment your doctor recommends to start. Cancer removal usually leads to a cure in the early stages of the disease. After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes are examined to measure the melanoma and determine if it has clear margins. Clear margins mean the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don’t contain any melanoma. When no cancer cells are left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to return. For melanoma patients who need additional treatment after surgery, they are likely to receive adjuvant therapy (treatments administered after surgery). Adjuvant therapy is designed to improve outcomes and decrease the risk of recurrence. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some adjuvant therapy treatments for melanoma, which include:

• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is an immunotherapy that helps the immune system attack and kill cancer cells. It is a PD1 inhibitor drug that works by blocking the PD1 pathway used by cancer cells to hide from the immune system.
• Nivolumab (Opdivo) – Another form of immunotherapy, nivolumab is a PD1 inhibitor that works similarly to pembrolizumab.
• Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) combination – This is a targeted therapy combo for patients with a BRAF V600E/K mutation fueling their cancer. About 50% of melanomas have BRAF mutations.
• Ipilimumab (Yervoy)—This medication is also an immunotherapy. It works by blocking CTLA4 protein, which is found normally on T-cells. This keeps immune cells alert to fight off cancer cells and stop their growth.

Tips to Protect Your Skin from Skin Cancer

As much as many of us enjoy spending lots of time in the sun during the spring and summer, we must remember that the sun can harm us. For most people, there are simple ways to significantly reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. We asked dermatologist, Dr. Dendy Engelman, for the top five ways to protect your skin from cancer. Most of her recommendations are simple to follow and could save your life. WATCH: How to protect your skin from skin cancer. Her simple tips include:

• Avoid the sun during peak hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are outside during those hours, protect yourself from harmful sun rays.
• Cover your skin and eyes. A wide-brim hat and sunglasses will protect your face, the top of your head, your ears, and the delicate skin around your eyes.
• Wear an SPF of 30 or higher. Dr. Engelman also recommends reapplying every few hours or after excessive sweating or swimming.
• Get an annual skin check. You can check your skin for anything that looks out of the ordinary, but you should still get a yearly check to ensure you don’t miss anything. If you notice anything unusual between checks, schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor.
• Avoid tanning beds. If you feel like you’re just too pale, Dr. Engelman recommends a sunless tanner. “There’s absolutely no benefit to going to a tanning bed,” Dr. Engelman said.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.

• What type of skin cancer do I have?
• What treatment options exist for my specific cancer?
• Will insurance cover this treatment?
• Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense to me?
• What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?