- Christie Brinkley shared some vulnerable health news in a new Instagram.
- She revealed she recently had skin cancer removed from her face.
- She urged followers to get serious about sun protection to avoid her experience.
Although Christie Brinkley is diligent about sun protection now, she once begged the sun to sink into her skin, using baby oil and water droplets as a draw, she told The Cut in 2018. Now, the 70-year-old revealed that she received a skin cancer diagnosis, ultimately having the cancer removed from her face.
In a series of photos, Brinkley posed in a medical gown to capture her scar close up, and then bandaged. The shots revealed an incision made along her temple, close to her hairline. “The good news for me is we caught the basal cell carcinoma early,” she began the caption. “And I had great doctors that removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior.”
She continued: “The good news for you is that all of this can be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection! I got serious a bit late so now for this ole mermaid/gardener, I’ll be slathering on my SPF 30, reapplying as needed, wearing long sleeves and a wide-brim hat. And doing regular total body check-ups.”
Brinkley went on to explain that it was at one of her daughter’s check-ups that she, in passing, brought up her own spot. “It wasn’t my appointment so I wasn’t going to say anything but at the VERY end I asked if he could just look at a little tiny dot I could feel as I applied my foundation,” she wrote. “He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy!”
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 3.6 million cases are diagnosed in the United States annually. It happens when there is damage to basal skin cells by the sun, resulting in uncontrolled growth, which visually appears as some version of a reddish, pink bump, shiny bump, or an open sore—though the lesions vary widely from person to person. (If you’re concerned about the appearance of a new skin irritation, you can cross-reference yours with the Skin Cancer Foundation’s warning sign images.)
Thankfully, basal cell carcinomas rarely spread, however, if left untreated, they can become locally invasive and disfigured. The longer they go untreated, the more likely they are to recur, per the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Brinkley’s fans and followers shared their well wishes with the star, and were glad to hear she’s OK. “Love you!!!! Glad you found this early ❤❤,” one person commented. “Thank God you’re ok and thank you for lending your powerful voice to sun protection,” another added. “Thank you for your PSA! Wishing you a quick recovery,” someone else wrote.
To protect yourself from skin cancer, follow Brinkley’s advice. As she said, sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 should be worn (and applied correctly) on a daily basis—even when it’s overcast outside. Protective clothing helps, too, and sun exposure should be minimized whenever possible.
Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer-editor who covers health, nutrition, and lifestyle topics for various publications including Prevention, Everyday Health, SELF, People, and more. She’s always open to conversations about fueling up with flavorful dishes, busting beauty standards, and finding new, gentle ways to care for our bodies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University with specializations in women, gender, and sexuality studies and public health, and is a born-and-raised midwesterner living in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two spoiled kitties.
