No one ever wants to hear a doctor utter the term cancer. It is such a loaded word. Christie Brinkley found herself in that scary situation when she was diagnosed with skin cancer. Thankfully, it was caught early.
Christie opened up about her experience on Instagram on March 13, 2024. She is a mother of three, so wants to be around for many years to come. She wants to see her adult children Alexa, Jack, and Sailor continue to pursue their dreams.
“The good news for me is we caught the basal cell Carcinoma early,” Christie began. “And I had great Doctors that removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior ” She included three somewhat graphic photos with her post, showing her skin cancer procedure.
Christie wanted to share her experience so others can learn from it. She reminded her followers not to sleep on sunscreen and routine checkups.
“The good news for you is that all of this can be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection,” she continued. “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..that is a MUST.”
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Christie is so glad she spoke up about her health concerns. It helped the doctor find the cancer early. It wasn’t even her appointment. “I was lucky to find mine, because I was accompanying one of my daughters to HER check up,” she explained. “The Doctor was looking at each freckle with a magnifying glass… 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.”
The doctor knew instantly that this was something that needed further testing. “He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy! He did it then and there,” Christie recalled.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, with millions of people being diagnosed every year. Because of its slow growing nature, it is often not life-threatening when caught early. Fair-skinned people with light colored eyes are often more prone to developing it.
Christie hopes others follow her example and get checked out. “So make your own good luck by making that check up appointment today. And slather up my friends!” She concluded by thanking her medical team, Dr. Abraham, Dr. Anolik, Dr Geronemus, and Dr Lloyd Hoffman at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.