The Celebrities That Are Leading The Way In Raising Awareness for Skin Cancer

Our awareness of the dangers of UVA and UVB rays has increased in recent years, especially with the explosion in popularity of skincare content on platforms including TikTok and Instagram. Here, derms including Dr. Shah and Dr. Sugai (whose username is aptly @drspf) extol the importance of daily SPF.

Now, many celebrities are using their platforms to warn us of the potential dangers of sunbeds and overexposure to the sun. Here, we’ll detail the celebrities that have had brushes with skin cancer and how they have used their platforms to give advice to us.

Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian has had two skin cancer scares. She’s had two melanomas removed from her back, one of which was cancerous. As a result, Khloe has had multiple moles biopsied and removed to be extra safe when preventing skin cancer.

Thanks to her experience, Khloe has become an outspoken advocate for skin cancer safety. She first shared her news in an Instagram post, where she not only revealed that she’d had an eight-inch patch of skin removed, but also the ABCDEs of skin cancer.

Khloe has said: “Now that I’ve gone through this a couple of times, I am extra aware of my skin, body, and moles.” The Kardashian sister is a shining example of the importance of regularly checking your skin for abnormal moles or freckles.

Bob Marley

The king of reggae’s skin cancer story has a more tragic ending than Khloe’s. The legendary musician passed away of melanoma at the young age of 36, highlighting the risks of not addressing signs of the dangerous cancer. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, this heartbreaking case serves as a reminder that people of any skin tone or color can get skin cancer from sun exposure.

The first sign of melanoma was a dark spot under Bob’s toenail. When doctors suggested amputation to prevent the spread of the cancer, he refused. Devastatingly, the cancer spread and resulted in Bob’s untimely death in 1981.

It’s important for people of color to use sun protection even if they find that their skin doesn’t burn quickly in the sun. The AAD has advice for people of color when it comes to checking for possible signs of melanoma or other types of skin cancer.

Elizabeth Taylor

Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor was treated for skin cancer at 70 years old, showing that it can affect us at any age – and that you’re never too old to receive treatment. In 2002, the actress received radiation therapy for a basal cell carcinoma, another common type of skin cancer.

The treatment was a success, with her doctor commenting that there was “no evidence of any residual disease”. If caught early, skin cancer is treatable, as shown by the case of Elizabeth Taylor. The cancer may have been brought on from sun exposure in her early life – a lot of exposure to the sun before the age of 18 can cause skin cancer later in life.

If you had a lot of sun exposure as a teen, or you used sunbeds, it’s important to check your body regularly to make sure that exposure doesn’t affect you now. And if you’re a current tanner, ditch the sunbeds and opt for sunless tanning mousses instead to safeguard your skin.

Hugh Jackman

When we think of tanners, stereotypically women often come to mind. But men are just as susceptible to skin cancer as women if they’ve had a lot of sun exposure. But Australian actor, Hugh Jackman has had multiple skin cancer scares that have led him to become a vocal advocate for wearing SPF.

On a visit to his derm in 2021, Jackman said that they noticed something “a little irregular” on his face – his nose to be specific. They took a biopsy to be safe – but this wasn’t his first brush with skin cancer. The actor was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma in 2013 and said that he played out in the sun without SPF a lot as a child.

Following another biopsy in 2016, he commented: “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.”

Rates of skin cancer in over-30s are decreasing in the USA as more of us become aware of the dangers of sun and sunbed exposure. These celebrities prove that skin cancer can strike at any time and affect anyone. Take their advice and be sure to wear your SPF consistently.