Even superheroes have health blips. Hugh Jackman tweeted a picture of his nose bandaged up last week, saying "Deb said to get the mark on my nose checked. Boy, was she right! I had a basil cell carcinoma. Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!"
The Wolverine has a point. In fact, the latest research from Cancer Center UK found that men are, uh, 70 percent more likely to die from skin cancer than women. It sounds like 45-year-old Jackman is going to be just fine (caught early, docs usually remove this kind of skin cancer with a minor surgery) but New York City Dermatologist Ellen Marmur says that left untreated, his trouble spot could have been a much bigger deal. "The biggest misconception is that basal cell cancers are benign. It can metastasize--in fact, I've removed ears, lips, and halves of noses from this kind of cancer." Marmur, who has had the cancer herself, says it usually looks like a small pimple on the face that doesn't go away. "A classic sign is if the same spot bleeds every time you shave." Even if you haven't seen the sun peak out in a few days, we suggest you follow Marmur's tips below for keeping skin cancer-free.
"Wear SPF 30 to 50 every single day, that's your sweet spot. If you've got sensitive skin try a mineral sunscreen like NIA 24, which won't sting or feel heavy."
See a dermatologist now. "It takes five minutes to do a checkup, and you only need to go once a year." Plus: "It can take months to get into a derm for the first time, so you need to have one on call in case you spot something suspicious."
"Wear hats and sunglasses." Shades should block 99-100 percent of the sun's UV rays, so check before you buy.
Know where to look--"Basal cell pops up most often on eyelids, nose, lips, and ears, and melanoma often shows up on men's backs and hands"--but don't disregard the rest of your bod: "I've taken skin cancer off a man's penis." Ow.