Hugh Jackman hoped to inspire more fans to wear sunscreen when revealing Monday that he had to undergo a skin biopsy after his doctor noticed something “a little irregular” on his skin.
Taking to Twitter, the Australian actor shared a video where he pulled down his mask and showed his bandaged nose. “I just want to let you know, I just went to see… my amazing dermatologists and doctors and they saw something that was a little irregular,” the Greatest Showman star explained. “So they took a biopsy and they’re getting it checked.”
Jackman, 52, assured fans they need not be concerned or “freak out” and promised to “let you know what’s going on.”
“It’s probably fine,” he continued. “But remember… wear sunscreen. Don’t be like me as a kid.”
The actor revealed in a 2015 interview with ABC News that he spent most of his childhood playing in the hot Australia sun and neglected to wear sunscreen. He was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, in 2013.
In the years since, Jackman’s continued to remind fans of the importance sunscreen, and revealed in 2016 that he had to undergo another biopsy.
“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,” he shared on Instagram.
In 2017, he shared a similar message about his ongoing battle with skin cancer and credited his “frequent checks” for catching it early.
The Mayo Clinic says basal cell carcinoma is believed to be caused by long-term exposure to UV sunlight and recommends the best way to prevent it is to wear sunscreen.