Published Mar 25, 2020

Rocker Bret Michaels is Learning Lemon Pledge– Poison Frontman and Skin-Cancer Survivor is ‘Standing Strong and Rocking On’

"I want to be out there on the road playing, but the coronavirus is very real," says Michaels, here with his mom, Margie. Instead, he says "I've Lemon Pledged my doors."

Constance Costas

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Like all of us, Poison frontman, Bret Michaels, who was treated for skin cancer in January, is finding creative ways to stay busy during his coronavirus quarantine: “For God’s sake, I am growing a beard … I have Lemon Pledged my doors. We're going to find stuff to do, we're gonna rock, we're gonna stay positive.”

Two weeks after canceling March cruise ship performances, Michaels posted the video message to fans: “I want to be out there on the road playing, but the coronavirus is very real.”

“Let's follow the guidelines that the CDC has given us. Let's wash those hands,” said the ‘Every Rose Has It’s Thorn’ singer. Try to keep a little bit of distance, but at the same time, still have fun,

View this post on Instagram

#TuesdayThoughts from Bret ????
A post shared by Bret Michaels Official (@bretmichaelsofficial) on Mar 24, 2020 at 12:06pm PDT

still be positive, stay calm. Let's … get this thing gone and get back to rocking. It is so, so important that all of you … stand strong and rock on, keep a positive attitude.”

Canceled Performances: Michaels’ Health Risk

Michaels, 57, celebrated his March 15 birthday, with a video serenade from Loretta Lynn. The rocker also posted a photo honoring his mom’s birthday on Instagram on March 24.

A lifelong type 1 diabetic, Michaels website announced concert cancellations earlier this month, “As of Sunday, March 8, 2020 it has been advised by the Centers for Disease Control that cruise ship travel be deferred for those with compromised immune systems,” his website stated.

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends checking skin for changes once a month and remembering the acronmym ABCDE as a checklist.

“Bret Michaels … falls under the category of those that run the extreme high risk of contracting this illness,” the site stated. “He runs the risk of being quarantined on the ship. Being a Type 1 Diabetic, this would pose a problem of having enough insulin and supplies on hand for his survival for an undetermined amount of time.”

In his January 2020 skin-cancer disclosure, Michaels did not elaborate on his diagnosis. And while many cancer patients face compromised immune systems as the result of treatment, skin-cancer survivors are less likely to fall into this category — especially if the cancer was treated successfully and has not spread beyond the original site.

Skin Cancer Checklist:

Doing regular self-checks on your skin is important to find skin cancer early. If you're high-risk, it's especially vital. Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends looking at your skin once a month for anything suspiciousand using the acronym ABCDE as a checklist:

Asymmetrical moles: if you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?

Borders: irregular, jagged, not smooth; can also stand for bleeding

Colors: multiple distinct colors in the mole

Diameter: larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser

Evolution: This may be the most important, anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, hurting, changing shape, etcâ€¦

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Constance Costas is a writer for SurvivorNet.

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