Kevin Jonas, lead guitarist of the pop rock trio the Jonas Brothers, has urged his fans to get regular skin cancer screenings. The warning comes after the 36-year-old underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mole from his forehead.
On June 11, Mr. Jonas shared a video on his Instagram account, documenting his recent health scare for his nearly 5 million followers.
“Friendly reminder to get your moles checked,” he captioned the clip, which features footage of the musician in a medical facility before and after having surgery.
“So today I am getting a basal cell carcinoma removed from my head,” Mr. Jonas explains, panning the camera to show a small mole near his hairline. “Yes, that is an actual little skin cancer guy that has started to grow. And now I have to get surgery to remove it.”
“So here we go,” he adds as the video segues to footage taken after the procedure. Mr. Jonas can be seen lifting a piece of gauze from where the basal cell carcinoma was removed, obscuring the treated area with an emoji.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common types of skin cancer, affecting an average of 3.6 million people in the United States each year.
Basal cell carcinoma develops in the basal cells—a type of cell located in the epidermis, the top layer of skin—that produces new cells as the old ones die off and slough away. It usually develops on the parts of the skin that are exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, such as the face and neck. According to the organization, overexposure to sunlight can damage DNA in basal cells, causing them to grow uncontrollably and resulting in gradual physical changes in the skin.
Although the characteristics of basal cell carcinoma may vary from person to person, this type of skin cancer can appear in the form of flat, scaly patches, shiny bumps, or discolored lesions.
Celebrities Who’ve Had Skin Cancer
The Jonas Brothers star is among a slew of celebrities who have been treated for basal cell carcinoma. Actress Diane Keaton and model Christie Brinkley have both been open about their respective diagnoses, with the latter taking to Instagram in March to share her skin cancer journey.“I’ll be slathering on my SPF 30, reapplying as needed, wearing long sleeves and a wide brim hat. And doing regular total body check ups..that is a MUST!” she added.
The 70-year-old mother of three noted that she wasn’t originally scheduled to have a skin cancer screening, explaining that she had merely accompanied one of her daughters to her check-up.
“The Doctor was looking at each freckle with a magnifying glass… it wasn’t my appointment so I wasn’t going to say anything but at the VERY end I asked if he could just look at a little tiny dot I could feel as I applied my foundation,” she recalled. “He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy! He did it then and there! So make your own good luck by making that check up appointment today. And slather up my friends!”
After noticing a “strange-looking bump” under his right eye, the 75-year-old promptly sought help from his dermatologist, who confirmed that the bump was basal cell carcinoma.
Mr. Simmons was subsequently seen by a dermatologic and skin cancer surgeon, who was able to successfully remove the cancerous bump.
“I had a little Frankenstein under my right eye for a while,” the former television personality said about the mark left behind by the procedure. “[My doctor] gave me some cream to put on it which I did religiously. Because of his fine work, I don’t have a scar,” he shared on Facebook.
