Luke Hamnett: I had a life-saving wake-up call about skin cancer – now I’m urging everyone to check their moles
Opinion: "If sharing my story encourages even one person to take a closer look in the mirror, then it’s absolutely worth it," writes Hamnett
By Luke Hamnett
About three years ago, I was on holiday in Ibiza with my friend, who is also a nurse, and we were living our best lives until she spotted something unusual. One of my moles looked extremely dark, and she recommended that I get it checked out as soon as I got home. I was super worried and nervous at first, but I knew the right thing to do was to make an appointment.
Within a couple of days of being home, I was booked in to be seen by a doctor, and the whole process honestly took no longer than fifteen minutes after I arrived. Mole clinics offer loads of checks, like screenings, removals, mole-mapping and full body checks, which is so good to know. They are all designed to give you a clear plan of action and a bit of peace of mind, which was exactly what I needed.
“Around 86% of melanoma cases can actually be prevented with proper sun protection, better awareness, and early intervention”
The doctors decided that it would be the safest choice to remove the mole and have it tested. The results came back benign which was such a big relief, but also a bit of a wake-up call! They said that if I had left it any longer, the mole could have easily developed into melanoma. The reality is, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in the UK, and around 17,600 people are diagnosed every year, according to Cancer Research UK.
However, I’ve now also learnt that around 86% of melanoma cases can actually be prevented with proper sun protection, better awareness, and early intervention, meaning that early detection could quite literally save your life, how good is that? I know it’s not always glamorous, and neither are moles, but having now gone through this myself, it feels so important for me to raise awareness and encourage others to act as soon as they feel something’s not quite right.
I’ve been pretty on top of it and have been seen a few times since, as it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Most recently, I visited The Mole Clinic who I’d heard such great things about online, and they found a mole that was worrying on the back of my leg that I hadn’t even noticed before. It was in a place that I’d never thought to check, but the doctors noticed red lesions around the area which didn’t seem normal in comparison to the surrounding skin and freckles. They have all been benign, praise the lord, but the experience really drove home the importance of regular check-ups. I now make sure to see a professional every single year, and I keep a small photo diary of my moles (cute, right?) so that I can track any differences in between my appointments.
“Regularly checking your moles and seeking professional advice can help to detect skin problems at their earliest stage”
As someone with fair skin, ginger hair and lots of freckles, I’ve now learnt that I’m naturally in a higher risk category. People with just freckles alone have around double the risk of melanoma developing compared to those without. Some other things that I didn’t even realise were risk factors are lighter coloured eyes or a long history of sunburn; who knew?!
What I’ve learnt most from this experience, is that there is nothing to ever be embarrassed about when it comes to your skin! Regularly checking your moles and seeking professional advice can help to detect skin problems at their earliest stage.
If sharing my story encourages even just one person to take a closer look in the mirror, or to book their first mole check, then it’s absolutely worth it. Your health should always come first, no matter what.
Luke Hamnett is a Manchester-based influencer and comedian with over two million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Known for his ‘Matthew’s Mum’ videos, Hamnett has gone from secondary school teacher and insurance salesman to full-time content creator in recent years.
