She Thought It Was an Age Spot—It Was Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. In fact, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70 according to the American Academy of Dermatology. They begin in the basal and squamous layers of the skin, respectively. Melanoma, the third most common type of skin cancer, begins in the melanocytes.

Sarah Eggenberger, our Senior Editor-at-Large is opening up about her recent fight against skin cancer and how we can help prevent it.

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Sarah, you had surgery to remove skin cancer from your nose just last month… what was your diagnosis and how are you feeling today?

“I was diagnosed with morpheaform basal cell carcinoma—a more rare and aggressive subtype of basal cell skin cancer that makes up only about 5–10 percent of cases. We’re often taught to look for the ABCDE’s of melanoma, but morpheaform is more elusive. It can linger quietly, disguised as a dry patch or a blemish that just never heals, while underneath it’s working fast, spreading out in tendrils far beyond what the eye can see.”

Dr. Dendy Engelman, you performed the biopsy on Sarah. What made you move forward with the biopsy?

“Sarah’s case exemplifies the importance of getting any suspicious or non-healing skin lesion checked by a board-certified dermatologist. When caught early, most skin cancers are curable and portend an excellent prognosis.”

Dr. Henry, what does the treatment look like for basal cell carcinomas and how serious it is?

“80 percent of all skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas… Sarah’s was an aggressive subtype of this cancer. While Basal Cell Carcinoma is rarely life-threatening, it can be disfiguring if left untreated—especially on delicate areas like the face, ears, and scalp.

For Sarah, her diagnosis was confirmed by a skin biopsy—and Sarah underwent MOHS surgery. That’s a specialized procedure where they remove cancerous skin layer by layer, checking each under a microscope until the cancer is all gone.

It’s especially effective for facial areas because it removes as little healthy skin as possible while ensuring all cancer is out.”

Sarah, this all started with a mark on your nose that you thought was nothing…what made you get it checked out?

“It started as a red spot—the kind you dab a little extra concealer on and move on with your day. Honestly, I chalked it up to aging skin, an annoyance you want skincare to heal or laser to remove.

It didn’t hurt, it didn’t look alarming. But what made me pause was that it lingered. Month after month, it was still there — sometimes brighter, sometimes smaller, but always taking up space on my face. Then one day, it started to bleed out of nowhere, and that was the telltale sign something wasn’t right. I finally booked the biopsy—but only after gathering a little reassurance from others. Isn’t it funny how quick we are to underplay things when it comes to ourselves?

The skin is the only organ we wear on the outside. The signs are often right there, asking us to notice. Our skin whispers before it screams—and the trick is knowing when to listen. That instinct to get it checked is what made all the difference.

What I’ve taken from this is simple: if something on your skin seems to be rewriting its own rules—refusing to go away, not behaving like the everyday blemish you thought it was—it deserves attention. We listen when our car makes a strange sound, or when the smoke alarm keeps chirping. Our skin deserves the same respect.”

Dr. Henry, basal cell carcinoma is one of the more preventable skin cancers. How can we do that?

“The good news is that this is one of the more preventable skin cancers!! The number one risk factor is UV exposure—that’s from the sun or tanning beds… Skin cancer can develop from a culmination of your lifetime sun exposure, or also from episodes of really intense sunburns that blister the skin…”

Sarah, how did you decide on your surgeon?

This is not a woe is me story. Skin cancer can be frightening, especially when it is on your face, and it can leave lasting deformities—but those are not the outcomes you have to accept. Many doctors focus not only on convenience, but on outcomes. The ones who see you as a whole person and walk with you through your most vulnerable moments.

Vero Beach, FL plastic surgeon Alan Durkin, MD believes that with specifically basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, that the goal is your best result, not removing the least amount of tissue. He harmonizes the aesthetic components of plastic surgery with oncologic cancer surgery. The goal of surgery is clearance of the tumor with an elevated aesthetic outcome in every case.”

Dr. Durkin, as Sarah’s surgeon, what is your expectation?

“We want every patients to walk out of here knowing they’re cancer free and still feel like themselves when they look in the mirror. With skin cancer, the scar doesn’t have to tell the story. From advanced melanoma to precancerous lesions, we provide treatment across the full spectrum of skin cancer all within the same practice.”

Sarah, what do you want viewers at home to now about your journey?

“Health challenges like this have a way of shaking you awake. They force you to pause, to reassess what actually matters, and to take action—not just for yourself, but for everyone who hasn’t had their wake-up call yet.

I’m using mine to stand up for something bigger: I’m on my soapbox about pushing for real progress in sunscreen safety and regulation. It’s time the U.S. caught up. We deserve more ingredient innovation, more transparency, and more accountability from the systems that govern what goes on our skin. Getting Congress aware—and holding them accountable—isn’t optional anymore. It’s a critical step toward ensuring every sunscreen on U.S. shelves is truly safe, effective, and worthy of our trust.

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: get your skin checks, wear your SPF, and practice safe sun—because prevention is power.”