Much-loved Australian actor Hugh Jackman, known for his role as Wolverine in the “X-Men” series, among other star turns, took time out of his day to offer health advice to his fans.
Jackman, who has gone through a type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma (BCC) six times, took to Instagram on Monday to urge his fans to get their skin checked.
Read MoreJackman, who is currently starring in “The Music Man” on Broadway, was first diagnosed with BCC in 2013. The disease is caused by sun exposure and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. More than 4 million cases are diagnosed every year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
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Jackman has been candid with his fans about his experience with the disease, regularly sharing health updates. His last bout with BCC came in 2017 — almost three years ago to the day — where he shared that the cancer was caught and treated thanks to “frequent checks & amazing doctors.”
Another basal cell carcinoma. Thanks to frequent checks & amazing doctors, all’s well. Looks worse w the dressing on then off! WEARSUNSCREEN pic.twitter.com/IA7N6Ca3Oe
Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) February 13, 2017
The actor signed that post off with another health warning for his fans: “WEARSUNSCREEN.”
BCCs tend to grow slowly, and most are curable if they are caught early and treated, which means Jackman is sharing some solid advice. Understanding symptoms or warning signs that there’s something off about your skin is important in the fight against all types of skin cancer.
What Is Basal Cell Carcinoma?
BCCs can look like sores, red or pink growths, shiny bumps, scars or slightly misshapen growths, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. If you are have a mark or lump on your skin that you think is suspicious, or if you know you’ve been exposed to a lot of sun, it’s worth it to get checked out by a dermatologist.
How to Prevent Skin Cancer
In a previous conversation, SurvivorNet asked dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon and an associate at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, to share some tips for preventing skin cancer.
She recommended that everyone keep up with an annual skin check from a professional. She said that while keeping track of your own skin to monitor for new moles and marks is great, visiting a dermatologist once a year to get a professional opinion is important too.
Dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman shares the best ways to protect your skin from skin cancer.
“We need to make sure that we have yearly skin checks, because it’s difficult to evaluate areas all over the body,” Dr. Engelman said. “So, we need to get a professional to make sure that we’re monitoring everything that we should.”
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Dr. Engelman gave some additional, everyday advice, such as being sure to put on sunscreen all the time with an SPF of 30 or higher, even in the winter, avoiding the sun during peak hours (that means between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), and wearing sunglasses and a hat when out in the sun to protect those delicate areas around the face.
She also cautioned that tanning beds should be avoided at all costs. If you’re looking for a healthy glow, sunless tanner is the way to go.
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