Khloe Kardashian Urges Others to Have Skin Cancer Screenings
After a mole on her back turned out to be cancerous, Khloe Kardashian is urging others to do full-body skin checks and report anything suspicious to a dermatologist. (Photo: AKM-GSI)
The Kardashian crew is known for continuously updating the public about their happenings, but Khloe just shared a personal story that can actually save lives.
In a new post on her website and app, the 32-year-old reality star admitted that full-body skin checks have become a constant in her world since one suspicious mole turned out to be cancer.
Here’s a portion of what she wrote: "I’ve gone through this process a couple of times and I am so grateful that most moles have not been cancerous. However, there was one mole I had on my back that was skin cancer. I had 8 inches of skin removed. It was definitely painful because it was a lot of skin, but most of the time, the removals haven’t been that bad.“
The youngest Kardashian sister has also encountered some skin cancer scares, as well. "A couple years ago, I noticed one growing under my breast,” Khloe wrote. “I immediately looked it up online and found out that if a mole is growing and changing shape, you should go to the doctor — so I did. They took the whole thing out and they biopsied it. Thankfully, it was benign.”
Now that Khloe, who also shares weight loss advice on her app, has become “extra aware” of the moles on her body, she strongly suggests others follow in her footsteps.
“I urge you to check yourself frequently!” she concluded. “I haven’t had a problem in years, but wanted to share my experience with you so that if you notice something doesn’t look right, you will take action and take care of your health!”
Even though the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently announced they do not have enough evidence to formally recommend skin cancer screenings, we can’t help but applaud Khloe’s informal awareness campaign. And we aren’t the only ones clapping.
“When a celebrity speaks of a medical condition they either have or had, it certainly brings attention to that condition,” Kaleroy Papantoniou, M.D., a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Health Center in New York City, tells Yahoo Beauty.
“In the case of Khloe Kardashian, she’s a very high profile celebrity, and being 32-years-old, she appeals to another generation of women,” explains Dr. Papantoniou. “So it’s great that she is open about monitoring her own moles, visits her doctor regularly, and is now encouraging other people to do the same.”
Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
