"Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can lead to burning and tanning in the short-term, as well as premature skin aging and skin cancer in the long-term," says The Cancer Institute NSW. And, most goverment agencies and other organizations have stepped up on their awareness campaign against skin cancer in recent years.

One individual has also come to the fore in her hopes of egging on people to refrain from tanning, and exposing their skin to the harmful effects of the sun. She wanted people to learn from her mistake, and not learn the hard way.

Tawny Willoughby, 27, bravely posted a selfie revealing the adverse effect of skin cancer treatment on her face, the Mashable reports.

She revealed that she did a lot of tanning back in her high school days, and laid under the sun for about 4-5 times a week; she was diagnosed with the cancer when she reached 21.

"Now, at 27, I've had basal cell carcinoma 5 times and squamous cell carcinoma once (excluding my face). I go to the dermatologist every 6-12 months and usually have a skin cancer removed at each checkup," she wrote on her Facebook page.

The Skin Cancer Foundation, the Mashable notes, offers some effective prevention tips and guidelines on top of the recommended use sunscreen, with at least an SPF 15, against skin cancer. They advise people to stay away from the sun, particularly between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, when the heat is at its most intense. One must apply sunblock half an hour before hitting the outdoors, and reapply after every two hours.

They also tell people to keep themselves away from UV tanning booths, and activities which cause burning of the skin in general. The foundation also said that it's a must to examine one's skin from the head to the toe every month, and undergo a professional skin exam annually.

As for her own treatment of skin cancer, Tawny shared that she uses a certain cream called Aldara (imiquimod). She also undergoes various treatment procedures such as "Curettage and Electrodessication, Cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen), Surgical Excision and Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)."

"Get any suspicious, new and growing spot checked out. Anything that doesn't heal, possibly bleeds on and off and crusts. The sooner you find it the less likely it will leave a disfiguring scar or grow deep enough to metastasize... Don't be a statistic!" Tawny advised on Facebook.