Supermodel Christie Brinkley has revealed she was recently diagnosed with skin cancer after having a "tiny" blemish on her face checked out.
Brinkley, 70, found fame as a model in the 1970s after being scouted in a post office in Paris, going on to appear on an unprecedented three consecutive Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers in 1979, 1980, and 1981.
The star went on to be the face over CoverGirl for 25 years, and appeared on over 500 magazine covers, and was often named one of the most attractive women of all time in magazine polls.
And with her face having been so vital to her career, the model took to Instagram to share a warning to others after she was diagnosed with skin cancer after having a "tiny dot" on her temple checked out.
Brinkley shared a photo of her with a medical headband and bandages on the side of her face, as well as a graphic image of the area after the blemish had been cut out, as well as it all stitched back up as she warned her followers to be vigilant over their own skin.
She wrote: "The good news for me is we caught the basal cell Carcinoma early. And I had great Doctors that removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior.
"The good news for you is that all of this can be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection! I got serious a bit late so now for this ole mermaid/gardener, 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!"
Brinkley admitted that her cancer could have been very easily missed or dismissed as just a blemish, adding: "I was lucky to find mine, because I was accompanying one of my 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.
"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!"
Warning: the below post contains graphic imagery
She then went on to thank her doctors for acting so quickly to diagnose and remove the cancerous portion of her skin.
According to the Mayo Clinic, basal cell carcinoma begins in the cells within the skin that produce new skin cells as the old ones die off, most often appearing as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though can take other forms.
It is most commonly found on areas of the skin that are most often exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck, but can be found anywhere on the body.
It is thought to be caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight, or the use of sunbeds, and using sun protection year-round as well as avoiding the sun can help protect against it.
Thankfully, basal cell carcinomas rarely metastasize to other parts of the body such as nearby lymph nodes or organs.
Her latest post comes after Brinkley celebrated her 70th birthday last month, and reflected on how she has come to accept herself.
She wrote at the time: "Looking in the mirror on my 70th Birthday and what do I see, I’m finally happy with the person looking back at me.
"I’m no longer critical and demanding, now I’m grateful and understanding. I’ve put this body thru it, I’ve broken every bone.
"In tiny miracles I’m all healed, in my heart and soul I’m home. It’s taken 70 years to get here, in tears and joy I’ve found my happy."