A SOUTHAMPTON taxi driver has spoken out after he developed skin cancer while doing his job.

Kevin Wright always used sunscreen when he was going to be outdoors, but it hadn't occurred to the 64-year-old that he would be exposed to the sun's harmful rays while behind the wheel.

Many windscreens offer some UV protection. However, it is rare for this to be extended to the side windows, leaving both drivers and passengers exposed to harmful rays, often without them realising it.

Kevin had to have a piece of his nose removed when he was 57, and was horrified when four years later, last spring, he was found to have pre-cancerous cells on his face.

But it was only when his specialist noted the distinct pattern of skin damage for drivers, largely on the right-hand side of his face, that he realised that he had been exposed while driving.

"I always wore sunscreen whenever I was out, but I had assumed that I was protected when I was in my car," he says.

"There was UV protection in my windscreen but not in the side windows – I'd never have thought that.

"I was devastated when I was told the problem had come back. It was only when my consultant pointed out that it was all down the right side of my face and said that it had probably been caused by UV rays when I was driving that I realised.

"I’ve been a taxi driver for 23 years, so I have been exposed a lot and its caused the damage.

"As a lay person, you tend not to give much thought to sun exposure when you're in a car. I think that manufacturers should bear some responsibility for offering better in car protection from the sun."

Kevin was diagnosed with was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC),. Untreated, it can grow large or spread to other parts of your body.

He began treatment with Efudex, a topical anti-cancer chemotherapy drug that is applied to the affected skin lesions. This led to his face bleeding as it burnt away the pre cancerous cells.

“My face looked awful. It had a really bad impact on me and I researched it online and discovered that other people were suffering for months and months with the affect-effects of the Efudex.

"My skin was a hell of a mess, and it was quite upsetting," adds Kevin, whose skin was so damaged that it could be heard to 'pop' and started bleeding when he washed, even with plain water.

"You're never sure how serious these things are going to be. The effects mentally can be quite devastating. I was wondering if I would have to have my nose removed, or plastic surgery on my face. You just don't know.

"I became really worried because I need to work."

Fortunately, Kevin's wife, Penny, had been researching creams to help with her grandson's eczema, and suggested that Kevin tried Moo Goo Irritable Skin Balm.

He was amazed with the results, as were the medical professionals he was seeing.

"I'm not saving it's a miracle cure, but it worked fantastically for me," he says.

"I was looking online at how long it was taking people's skin to recover, and mine was better within weeks. I want to tell other people about it, because there might be someone else who is suffering and it could help them too."

Kevin now hopes that other people, particularly those who spend a lot of time in their cars, will recognise the dangers of UV rays penetrating through glass, and protect their skin.

He adds:"I always put factor 30 on now when I'm going to be driving."