Melanie Griffith is Hollywood royalty, but no matter how famous you are, cancer can affect you.
Griffith originally went through treatment in 2009, having basil cell skin cancer removed from her nose. The surgery was done as a way to prevent the cancer from getting worse, but in 2017, the cancer returned.
The actress opened up about her skin cancer diagnosis to InStyle, revealing how scary it was to begin treatment.
"It's a scary thing when you're an actress and you depend on your face for work," she said. "But I realize I have to put a Band-Aid on it, and it's fine. I just look like a dork."
She had to once again seek treatment to remove the cancer from her nose, and this time she decided to be very open about her journey.
In a post on her Instagram page, Griffith shared a picture of herself, confidently showing off her bandage. She didn't try to make it look glamorous or put makeup on, because honestly, cancer isn't really glamorous.
In the comment, she stated, "Bandaged again after having dermabrasian, the final step to fix the now removed basil cell skin cancer."
She continued to warn her fans about skin cancer, trying to encourage everyone to get checked out. "If any of you have it, get it fixed. If you lay in the sun, are exposed to lots of sun, be CAREFUL. Use sun screen."
"Get checked out by your Dermatologist. If you don't have one, get one, or go to your nearest clinic and ask to be tested for it."
The honest and brave photo shows a different side of Griffith than we see on the red carpet, but it's something that a lot of people need to see.
Skin cancer is often missed or ignored, so the fact that someone with such a powerful presence is speaking out on it is absolutely beneficial.
The type of cancer that Griffith had was a Basal Cell Carcinoma, which usually starts off as small, shiny bumps on your body. They are commonly found on noses, like Griffith's, and other parts of your face.
They usually grow on parts of your face that get the most sunlight, but luckily it's the least risky type of skin cancer as long as it is caught early.
