Hugh Jackman has new skin cancer scare, urges sun safety

Australian actor Hugh Jackman has revealed he is undergoing more skin cancer tests after a recent medical check-up.

Sporting a bandage on his nose, the Wolverine actor took to social media to urge followers to get checked and follow sun safety advice.

The 54-year-old star said he expects test results within the next few days.

Jackman had his first skin cancer removed in 2013, and has since had at least six procedures.

In his video post, Jackman said his doctor had noticed “little things which could be, or could not be basal cell [carcinomas]”.

Basal cell carcinoma is a non-melanoma – which means it is much less likely to spread – and is caused by overexposure to the sun or sunbeds. Treatment for non-melanoma skin cancers are successful in 90% of cases, according to the NHS.

Jackman reassured fans that basal cell carcinomas are the “least dangerous” in the world of skin cancer, but said he hoped his scare reminds people to be sun-safe.

“Please wear sunscreen, it is just not worth it, no matter how much you want a tan. Trust me!” he said.

Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world, with more than 11,500 people diagnosed with a melanoma and an estimated 434,000 treated for other skin cancers each year.

In 2015, Jackman told People magazine his diagnoses had come as a surprise despite his upbringing.

“It’s always a bit of a shock just hearing the word ‘cancer’,” he said.

“Being an Australian it’s a very common thing. I never wore sunscreen growing up so I was a prime candidate for it.”

Born in Sydney to English-emigrant parents, Jackman is best known for his role as Wolverine in Marvel’s X-Men franchise.

Other career highlights include 2004’s action-horror Van Helsing, the 2006 drama The Prestige, and the 2017 musical The Greatest Showman.