The Wolverine star Hugh Jackman announced on Monday that he has been successfully treated for skin cancer on his nose for the fourth time since 2013. He has been encouraging people to use sunscreen because not doing so made him a prime candidate for basal cell carcinoma.
Jackman shared on Instagram a photo of himself wearing a bandage across his nose.
“An example of what happens when you don’t wear sunscreen. Basal Cell. The mildest form of cancer but serious, nonetheless. PLEASE USE SUNSCREEN and get regular check-ups,” the 47-year-old actor, wrote in the caption.
It marked the third post-op photo he has shared in the past three years to warn against skin cancer. The first time he was treated for basal-cell carcinoma was in November 2013, after his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness encouraged him to go for a check-up.
The Australian actor, who also starred Australia alongside Nicole Kidman, told People Magazine last year that he was shocked to learn the news of his diagnosis. He said it was very common among Australians, especially among those people like him who never wore sunscreen as a child.
He also revealed that it was “the new formal” for him to go every three months for check-ups and that his doctor said more skin cancer growth were probably going to appear. The actor has also had skin cancer cells removed from his shoulder, meaning that he has had five basal cell carcinoma removals in total.
Jackman launched his own brand of sunscreen for children early last year. Pure Sun Defense, whose parent company is Pure Growth Group which based in New York, is a brand responsible for a product named SPF50 made for kids age 12 and under. It has no chemicals and is co-branded with characters from the Avengers sequel, Spider-Man, Despicable Me and Frozen.
According to the acclaimed actor, studies reveal children under 10 who never use sunscreens are 50% more likely to get skin cancer as adults than kids who do apply such products. He said cancer is not as scary as most people think, as long as they take care of it.
Basal-cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Nearly three million cases of it are reported in the United States every year. Although it almost never spreads beyond the affected area, it has the potential to be disfiguring if not treated.
Source: People