RALEIGH, N.C. — Spectrum News 1 Meteorologist Lee Ringer was recently diagnosed with Squamous cell carcinoma under his right eye. After surgery to remove the cancer and recovery time, he returned to work Monday.

Ringer is ready to tell North Carolinians about the weather and share his story as a precautionary tale. 

The American Academy of Dermatology estimates one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. 

Ringer has been with Spectrum News 1 for close to 20 years. He enjoys informing the community on what to expect for the day's weather. 

“Weather affects everybody. I am able to help people plan their day, and plan their daily activities,” Ringer said. 

Lee Ringer has been with Spectrum News 1 for close to 20 years. (Spectrum News 1)

He’s living out his childhood dream as a meteorologist, which comes with a routine of 2 a.m. wake up calls, a good collection of suits and wearing makeup. 

“Even the guys, everybody wears makeup. We have to under the TV lights,” Ringer said. 

After a day being in front of the camera around the holidays, his routine changed when he noticed a bump under his right eye. 

“I thought it was just a little, little pimple and was sort of annoyed by it, I guess. And so I did what a lot of people do and what you're not supposed to do. I just tried to pop it,” Ringer said. 

Over the next few weeks the bump continued to grow, prompting Lee to get it checked out by an expert. 

“I really went to just want this thing off of my face. In the back of my mind, I wasn't really even having much thoughts of skin cancer,” Ringer said. “When I saw the reaction from the PA who said ‘you need to get that biopsied,' and she went ahead and told me about my surgery, I thought, this is going to be something that may be concerning,” Ringer said. 

Ringer said he has been skin cautious in the past and saw his dad go through skin cancer diagnosis and surgery multiple times growing up. Although as many kids do, despite being prompted to wear sunscreen when parents were around, he often times did not when he was alone. 

“I paid [the] price with some so bad sunburns. As I was growing up. But, as an adult, I've always been very regimented about using sunscreen on a daily basis,” Ringer said. 

Last month, Lee had Mohs surgery to remove the cancer. 

“Mohs surgery is a very elegant procedure that allows us to remove skin cancers with the highest cure and the smallest scars in a standard excision. The cure rate for Mohs surgery for most basal cell cancers and squamous cell cancers is over 99% more aggressive,” dermatologist and surgeron Dr. Nicholas Taylor said. 

Ringer shared his experience on social media, garnering views from across the world and hundreds of comments from people who have shared similar experiences. 

“Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. They're about 1.8 million cases in a year. It's actually so common that the national cancer registries don't track it,” Taylor said. 

The American Academy of Dermatology said skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of skin color. 

"So the best day to start protecting your skin is when you're born. And the second best day is today,” Taylor said. “Sun exposure is accumulative. And so over time, the more sun exposure you have, the more UVA radiation you have, then the more likely you are to develop a skin cancer. "So the best day to start protecting your skin is when you're born. And the second best day is today,” Taylor said. 

Physician Assistant Rachel Serrano recommends using about two teaspoons worth of sunscreen on your face and a shot glass worth of sunscreen for your entire body. 

“Chemical sunscreens are going to be the ones that have the ingredients. If you look at the back label, it's going to say avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate. So those chemical sunscreens absorb the UV rays, and kind of convert that into heat,” Serrano said.  “Those are actually really nice if we're looking at somebody who wants a sunscreen to kind of blend a little bit more seamlessly, that would be an option,” Serrano said. 

Ringer said he will continue to travel the world for work and personal life, much of the time under the sun, but will continue to wear a hat and consistently reapply sunscreen. (Lee Ringer)

If you have sensitive skin, Serrano said to look for ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide, which is more of a barrier sunscreen. 

Serrano suggests for infants to wear hats and other protective clothing and long sleeves. As you get older, she suggests sunscreen including zinc and titanium dioxide to create more of a physical barrier if UPF clothing is not an option. 

“I hope it is a precautionary tale to others. If you see something suspicious, get in to see a dermatologist as soon as you can get the routine checks, but don't be afraid too if you see something suspicious between those normal appointments to reach out and have an expert look at it,” Ringer said. 

Serrano said if you are swimming or sweating to reapply sunscreen every two hours. 

Ringer said he will continue to travel the world for work and personal life, much of the time under the sun, but will continue to wear a hat and consistently reapply sunscreen. 

“I'm very fortunate and very blessed that I was able to catch it early, and I was able to catch it early because I noticed it,” Ringer said.