Christie Brinkley diagnosed with skin cancer: Supermodel, 70, reveals she underwent surgery after noticing ‘tiny dot’ on her face – as she shares graphic snaps of removal
Christie Brinkley has been diagnosed with skin cancer.
The supermodel, 70, revealed in a moving Instagram post on Wednesday that she underwent surgery after doctors found ‘basal cell carcinoma’ on her face.
She also shared graphic photos of the wound on her face after the cancer was removed – as she urged fans to check their bodies regularly for any abnormalities.
She wrote: ‘The good news for me is that we caught basal cell carcinoma early. And I had amazing doctors who removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like a haute couture Dior.
‘The good news for you is that this can all be avoided by being careful with your sun protection! I got serious a little late, so now for this old mermaid/gardener I’m going to slather on my SPF 30, reapply as needed, wear long sleeves and a wide brimmed hat.
Christie Brinkley was diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 70
The supermodel, 70, revealed on Wednesday she underwent surgery after doctors found ‘basal cell carcinoma’ on her face in a moving Instagram post
The star revealed she was diagnosed with cancer after accompanying one of her daughters to a routine check-up, during which she asked a doctor to examine a “little dot” on her face.
She wrote: ‘And doing a total body check regularly…it’s a MUST! I was lucky enough to find mine because I accompanied one of my daughters to HER check-up.
‘The doctor looked at each freckle with a magnifying glass… it wasn’t my appointment so I wasn’t going to say anything, but at the end I asked if he could just look at a little dot that I could feel as I applied my foundation applied.
‘He took one look and knew straight away that a biopsy was needed! He did it then and there! So make your own luck by making that check-up appointment today. And oil my friends!
‘Thank you to Dr. Abraham, Dr. Anolik, Dr. Geronemus, Dr. Lloyd Hoffman of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.”
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a form of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma means no skin pigment cells are involved. BCC often appears as scabs that bleed
BCC is responsible for more than 80 percent of all skin cancers in the UK and US.
She also shared graphic photos of the wound on her face after the cancer was removed – as she urged fans to check their bodies regularly for any abnormalities.
Brinkley turned 70 last month and said using sunscreen keeps her looking young
The star (pictured in 2023) wrote: ‘The good news for me is that we caught basal cell carcinoma early. And I had great doctors who removed the cancer. The good news for you is that this can all be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection!’
What is Basal Cell Carcinoma?
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a form of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma means no skin pigment cells are involved.
BCC often appears as scabs that bleed
BCC is responsible for more than 80 percent of all skin cancers in the UK and US.
About 5.4 million basal and squamous cell cancers are diagnosed each year in the US and about 100,000 in Britain.
It is mainly caused by excessive exposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds.
BCC can occur anywhere on the body, but is most common in sun-exposed areas such as the face, neck and ears.
The following people are most at risk:
- People with fair skin or hair
- Those who work outside the home
- People who use tanning beds
- Those with a personal history of the condition
BCC is usually painless. Early symptoms often include only a scab that bleeds occasionally and does not heal.
Some look like flat, red, scaly spots or have a pearly edge. The latter can then erode into an ulcer.
Others are lumpy with shiny nodules with blood vessels running through them.
Most BCCs can be cured, but treatment is complex if they remain for a long time.
Treatment usually involves removing the cancerous tumor and some of the surrounding skin.
Source: British Skin Foundation And NHS choices
About 5.4 million basal and squamous cell cancers are diagnosed each year in the US and about 100,000 in Britain.
It is mainly caused by excessive exposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds.
BCC can occur anywhere on the body, but is most common in sun-exposed areas such as the face, neck and ears.
Last month, the star celebrated her 70th birthday with a message that read: “This is 70, and you have nothing to fear because you can make it your own favorite year!” the SI model wrote in her caption.
‘It’s up to you, it’s in your power. To choose to celebrate, instead of cower. You know what to do: exercise and eat right, use your sunscreen and don’t sit under lights!
‘Be curious, discover and go on an adventure, just don’t forget to pack your dentures. Seriously, laugh and love with all your might… and I promise everything will be okay.”
Brinkley has three children with three different men: Alexa Ray Joel with Billy Joel, Jack Paris Brinkley Cook with Richard Taubman and Sailor Brinkley Cook with Peter Cook.
Last summer, the Vogue model said she will still pose for social media in her bikinis when she turns 70 because she feels just as good as she did 40 years ago (photo R in 1983)
Sailor shared, “HAPPY SEXY 70, MOM!”
Alexa then said, “Congratulations to this ever beautiful, pure, n’ precious mother of mine… who always feels like home to me. I gotta make you a song, mom… here are the lyrics: ‘Christie Lee, Christie Lee / You’re the star-spangled girl they all want to see / Shiny sweetness laid in rows of sunflower hair. – Mother O’ Mine, By me.’
The Vacation actress shared how she has managed to maintain her youthful looks all these decades after the big hit in the 1970s.
Brinkley said Peoplesaying that she’s okay with having a few lines here and there, and also admitting that she’s tried Botox in the past but doesn’t like having too much done to her face.
The magazine also focuses on looking great while aging naturally. ‘I want to accept certain wrinkles. That’s the way I approach growing older,” the former Vogue cover girl said.
“Sometimes, as people get older, and they overdo it, they can look waxy and – I don’t know what the word is – preserved or something. I want my face to have a little life on it, you know?”