Hugh Jackman has skin cancer scare, says use more sun screen

Hugh Jackman revealed today that he had a spot of skin cancer removed from his nose. The actor made the announcement via Instagram with a photo of his bandaged face.

Jackman's caption read:

"Deb said to get the mark on my nose checked. Boy, was she right! I had a [basal] cell carcinoma. Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!"

Other celebrities who have revealed run-ins with skin cancer include Eric Dane, Bruce Jenner, Ewan McGregor, Sarah Paulson and Anderson Cooper.

"It's all sun damage from the '60s and '50s when I was competitively water-skiing and living on a lake and all my training outside," Jenner told E! News in September after he was photographed sporting a bandage on his nose. "Nobody wears sunblock back then. I first had one here," he pointed to his cheek, "just a little red spot. It's a basal-cell carcinoma, which is a-basically it is a skin cancer, because it doesn't heal."

According to the Mayo Clinic, Basal cell carcinoma is a common form of type of skin cancer, often manifested as a waxy bump or sore and attributed to long-term exposure to radiation from the sun. Though it rarely spreads, if left untreated, basal cell carcinoma can cause disfigurement.

We're glad Hugh caught it early. The next time you plan to have some fun in the sun, take his advice and load up with the sunscreen.

What precautions do you take before enjoying the sun? Will you start using more sunscreen? Sometimes it takes a figure in the spotlight to shed some of that light on a serious issue.