Hugh Jackman Warns Fans After Skin Cancer Scare
Hugh Jackman took to Instagram to share his skin cancer scare and urge people to wear sunscreen.
In a recent Instagram post, Hugh Jackman reminded his fans to wear sunscreen after undergoing two biopsies for basal cell carcinoma. The soon-to-be Deadpool 3 star wanted his fans to hear it directly from the Wolverine’s mouth first before someone on the street saw him with his bandaged nose and began spreading wild rumors, like that the Greatest Showman star got a nose job or something. The 54-year-old actor had two biopsies done and has yet to receive the results, which could take another few days to arrive.
Hugh Jackman assured his fans that he will find out about the results in two to three days and will keep his fans up to date once he has more information. The X-Men: Origins star made sure to note that basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is “the least dangerous” skin cancer and his calm demeanor assured fans that there wasn’t anything to worry about. Basically, BCC is like the Kardashians of skin cancers: it gets a lot of attention, but really it’s not that dangerous.
BCC is the most common form of skin cancer and the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. Around 3.6 million people are diagnosed with BCC every year in the United States alone. Meaning if Hugh Jackman was looking for something to make him stand out from the crowd (aside from being gorgeous and a talented singer, dancer, and actor), then skin cancer isn’t really the answer.
BCC most often occurs when exposure to UV radiation from the sun or indoor tanning causes changes in basal cells, which are responsible for producing new skin cells as old ones die. However, when caught and treated early, there will be minimal damage.
Since Hugh Jackman grew up in sunny Australia and probably spent a great deal of his childhood playing in the sun, it’s no surprise that the prolific actor is dealing with this now. As he said in his Instagram post, the biopsies are a result of how he behaved 25 years ago, alluding that back in the late 90s, Jackman was not a fan of sunscreens.
Hugh Jackman (who seemed extremely calm during his announcement despite the fact that he could be diagnosed with skin cancer in just a few days) took this as an opportunity to advise everyone about the importance of sunscreen and taking care of your skin. In words opposite that of the late Ned Stark, Jackman said, “Summer is coming,” and urged everyone who watched his video to wear sunscreen. “It’s just not worth it. No matter how much you may want a tan.”
In an effort not to sound too preachy, Hugh Jackman assured his fans that they will all still have an “incredible time out there,” even if they slap on some pasty white goo all over their skin. And if we were you, we’d listen to the X-Men star, since he seems to know what he’s talking about when it comes to this stuff—this is not Jackman’s first run-in with skin cancer. In fact, the Aussie actor has previously been treated for BCC, having already had six removals done.
In the caption alongside his video, Hugh Jackman wrote: “I know you’ve heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. I’m going to keep talking about them, if need be. And if it reminds even one person to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, then I’m happy.”
So, remember folks, always wear that sunscreen!
