Hugh Jackman has provided followers with an update on his health, disclosing that he has been checked for skin cancer once more.
In a social media video, the 54-year-old recorded himself with a plaster on his forehead, disclosing that his doctor had noticed ‘little abnormalities’ on his epidermis that she thought warranted further investigation with biopsies.
In his caption, the actor wrote: ‘You’ve heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. And I’m going to keep talking about them, if need be. If just one person remembers to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, I’m happy.’
Hugh stated in the video that he wanted his followers to hear it from him in case “someone sees me on the street” with the plaster on his face.
‘I’ve just had two biopsies done, I just went to my doctor, Dr Iron, who’s awesome, and she just saw little things. Could be or could not be basal cell in her opinion, she doesn’t know. I’ll find out in two or three days and as soon as I know, I’ll let you know,’ he said.
‘Just to remind you, basal cell in the world of skin cancers is the least dangerous of them all. However, if I can just take this opportunity to remind you, summer is coming.
‘For those of us here in the Northern Hemisphere, please wear sunscreen, it is just not worth it. No matter how much you want a tan, trust me, trust me, trust me.’
Several individuals thanked Hugh for coming out about his illness on Instagram, with one writing, ‘Praying it’s nothing. Thank you for taking advantage of your position to assist others.’
‘Melanoma survivor and preach sunscreen!!’ someone else wrote, while another shared: ‘Thank you for this! Stage 3 melanoma survivor here. Didn’t realise how serious it can be till it happened to me!’
This isn’t the first time the Wolverine actor has spoken out about skin cancer; he previously disclosed that he was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.
In 2021, he revealed the results of a biopsy that he had undergone, saying that the findings were ‘inconclusive’.
‘It actually came back inconclusive which means they didn’t quite take enough because I’m about to start filming so we didn’t want to go in too deep,’ he said at the time.
‘They’re not that worried. What did come back makes them not that worried so if it’s anything it’s a basal cell carcinoma which is not threatening really but needs to be taken care of.
‘I’ll get another biopsy when I’ve finished filming in about two months and I’ll let you all know, I’ll keep you updated.’
How to look for signs of skin cancer
Cancer Research UK stresses that symptoms for skin cancer can ‘vary’, as well as being similar to other conditions.
The charity states: ‘Common symptoms of skin cancer include a sore or area of skin that: doesn’t heal within 4 weeks,looks unusual, hurts, is itchy, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks.’
The organisation adds: ‘Non melanoma skin cancer tends to develop most often on skin exposed to the sun.
‘To spot skin cancer early it helps to know how your skin normally looks. That way, you’ll notice any changes more easily.’
For more information, click here.
If a mole or a freckle on your skin looks different than normal, this could be a sign of another form of skin cancer called melanoma.
Cancer Research UK urges people to speak to a doctor if they spot a change to a mole, freckle or a normal patch of skin.
Doctors use a checklist called ABCDE to check moles for signs of melanoma, which stands for: asymmetrical, border, colour, diameter, and evolving.
For more information, click here.
