Hugh Jackman is urging fans to slather on sunscreen this summer after sharing that he has been undergoing new tests for skin cancer following a recent medical checkup.
The 54-year-old actor announced in an Instagram video Monday night that he had two biopsies for spots on his nose that his doctor said may be basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer that is diagnosed about 3.6 million times per year in the U.S., according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
"I'll find out in two or three days, and as soon as I know, I'll let you know," Jackman said in the video.
The form of skin cancer originates in basal cells, a type of cell that produces new skin cells as others die, according to Mayo Clinic. Signs of basal cell carcinoma can appear on the head, face and neck as a slightly transparent bump; a brown, black or blue lesion; a flat, scaly patch with a raised edge; or a white, waxy, scar-like lesion, according to Mayo Clinic.
The cancer rarely spreads beyond its original site and is easily treatable when caught early, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Jackman said that while basal cell carcinoma is "the least dangerous of them all," people should still seek to avoid it by wearing sunscreen.
"If I can just take this opportunity to remind you summer is coming, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, please wear sunscreen," he said.
"No matter how much you want a tan, trust me, trust me, trust me. This is all stuff that happened 25 years ago; it’s coming out now. Put some sunscreen on. You’ll still have an incredible time out there. Please be safe," he said.
This is not the first time Jackman has faced a skin cancer scare, or spoken out publicly about it. In August 2021, Jackman posted a similar video urging fans to wear sunscreen after he got a biopsy of a spot on his nose.
He also had the same procedure done in February 2017, May 2014 and November 2013, and in each instance took to social media to urge fans to protect themselves under the sun.
In the caption of his most recent post, Jackman alluded to those earlier instances: "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."
