Christie Brinkley has revealed that she was diagnosed with skin cancer and underwent surgery on her face to treat the condition. She says she “was lucky” to catch the cancer early — and it was all thanks to her daughter.
Brinkley became a household name in the 80’s appearing on hundreds of magazine covers as a model, including an unprecedented three consecutive covers for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 1979 to 1981. But before her all-American looks were plastered on national ad campaigns, she states she was “basically a surfer girl from California,” Brinkley told New York Magazine in 2008.
Perhaps all that time in the sun caught up to the model, whose career now spans over 50 years. She revealed in an Instagram post Wednesday that she “got serious” about sun protection “a bit late,” and is advocating for everyone to be diligent about slathering on the SPF.
Brinkley shared in the post that she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, which is considered the most common form of skin cancer in Canada, according to the Canadian Dermatology Association. The primary cause of basal cell carcinoma is exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and frequent sunburns can increase the risk of developing this kind of skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma is considered the least dangerous form of skin cancer, but the Canadian Dermatology Association warns it must be treated.
“Otherwise, it will continue to grow, invading and destroying surrounding tissue causing pain, bleeding and eventually causing disfigurement,” the association writes on its website.
