Skin cancer signs and symptoms as Ruth Langsford issues urgent plea to viewers amid health worry
Ruth Langsford from Loose Women has issued an urgent call to viewers while sharing an update on her health during the show.
In Tuesday's episode of ITV's popular daytime programme, Ruth joined panellists Janet Street-Porter, Denise Welch, and Coleen Nolan to tackle the day's burning issues.
However, it was a particular segment that grabbed everyone's attention – a discussion about whether skin conditions could signal underlying health problems.
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Initiating the conversation, Ruth explained: "We will be talking about skin today. Are you taking care of it? Any change of your condition on your skin could be an indication that there is something else going on in your body?"
The 64-year-old warned that according to dermatologists, many people fail to spend enough time examining their skin. Taking a personal turn, Ruth openly discussed her own health, mentioning her recent mole check.
Thankfully, she assured the audience that "it is nothing to worry about."
Reflecting on her younger years, she admitted: "We didn't know the dangers of sunbathing and my dad's in the army so we were abroad a lot running around in the sun. I remember sunscreen being around but not smothering it on.
"You kind of ignored things and you never thought about it. But definitely as I've got older - I've been twice this week - I go twice a year to get my moles checked."
Referring to a recent scare, Ruth pointed out: "I've just had a little thing done here this week but it's nothing to worry about because it's been checked."
The colour and texture of the skin can sound alarm bells, too, with co-host Coleen asking: "Didn't you go green earlier?" to which Ruth responded: "I did go green but it's gone now. I don't know what that was, maybe because it was early morning."
Towards the end of the show, Ruth re-emphasised the importance of health check-ups: "Please go and have anything checked that you are worried about. We are just looking at here blue skin is a sign of poor circulation.
"Yellowish skin is a sign of liver problems and thickness or hardening of the skin can be diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disorders so anything that you're concerned about and anything that is unusual, get it checked."
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can 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.
Age, pale skin, having a large number of moles, and a family history of skin cancer can up your chances of getting melanoma. You can possibly prevent skin cancer by being careful in the sun - using and reapplying sunscreen.
A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma. Melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, but they're more common in areas that are often exposed to the sun.
Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands or genitals. You should check your skin for any unusual changes and use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check any areas you cannot see.
The NHS has outlined the main symptoms of melanoma skin cancer
Mole with an uneven shape or edges
Normal moles are usually round with smooth edges.
Melanomas are often an uneven shape. They may have two different shaped halves and uneven edges.
Mole with a mix of colours
Normal moles are usually only one colour.
Melanomas are often a mix of two or more colours.
Large mole
Normal moles are usually small.
Melanomas tend to be bigger, often more than 6mm wide.
Mole that changes over time
Normal moles usually do not change over time.
A mole that changes size, shape or colour may be a melanoma.
Other signs to look out for include moles that are
swollen and sore
bleeding
itchy
crusty
You should see a GP if:
you have a mole that's changed size, shape or colour
you have a mole that's painful or itchy
you have a mole that's inflamed, bleeding or crusty
you have a new or unusual mark on your skin that has not gone away after a few weeks
you have a dark area under a nail that has not been caused by an injury
