‘Modern Family’ Star Jesse Tyler Ferguson Reveals He Had a Skin Cancer Scare on Instagram
Jesse Tyler Ferguson revealed he had “a bit of skin cancer” removed from his jaw after a regular check-up this week.
“Don’t worry, I got it early and I’m gonna be just fine,” the Modern Family star wrote on Instagram.
Now, he’s urging others to keep up with skin checks and sun protection.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson is urging others to take their sun protection seriously after a skin cancer scare of his own. The Modern Family actor, 45, revealed that he had skin cancer removed during a routine appointment with his dermatologist. In an Instagram post Tuesday, he shared an image of himself with a small bandage taped at the edge of his jaw.
“Reminder to stay up to date on your dermatology checks … especially if you’re fair like me,” he wrote in the post. “Today, they took a bit of skin cancer that they found.”
Thankfully, Ferguson is on the mend: “Don’t worry, I got it early and I’m gonna be just fine,” he continued. “I always wind up getting something taken from me, every time I go.”
Although fair-skinned people like Ferguson do face a high risk of developing skin cancer, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone can be affected by the disease.
When a fan commented asking Ferguson if his advice was meant “only for fair skin,” he was quick to respond: “All people should check,” he wrote.
Skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer, per the American Cancer Society (ACS). The majority of these cases are basal and squamous cell skin cancers, which are thankfully easier to treat than melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Other risk factors for skin cancer include having certain types or a large number of moles, a family or personal history of the disease, and older age, per the CDC. Although melanin does offer some protection against UV radiation, patients of color are more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma later, when it’s harder to treat, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). People of color are also more likely to die of melanoma than white people, the AAD explains, likely due to medical biases and a relative lack of awareness about regular screenings.
Experts recommend checking in with a dermatologist at least once a year, on top of performing regular skin self-exams as frequently as once per month. (These are especially crucial if you don’t have regular access to a dermatologist.)
That’s why it’s necessary for celebrities with platforms like Ferguson’s to speak up. The actor says he’ll continue taking care of his skin with regular check-ups and plenty of sunscreen. He even joked that he’ll be using “SPF 1,000” from now on.
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