Supermodel Christie Brinkley recently announced she had undergone surgery for skin cancer. In an Instagram post on March 13, Ms. Brinkley said she had recently had a carcinoma removed from the side of her face.
“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,” she wrote.
The supermodel, who recently turned 70, said in the post that she will be more diligent in applying sun protection from now on.
“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 !” she added.
Ms. Brinkley said she didn’t schedule the appointment for herself, but was accompanying her daughter, when she asked the doctor at the end of the appointment to take a look at a tiny dot on her face.
“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 checkup appointment today,” she wrote, before thanking doctors at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
Her post drew an outpouring of support from fans and followers, who wished her a quick recovery. Alexa Ray Joel, the eldest of Ms. Brinkley’s 3 children and born during her first marriage with singer Billy Joel, also commented on her mother’s post.
“Love you Mom,” her comment read. “Let’s get Arnica Cream & Supplements, it’ll help your skin heal faster.”
Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is described as a type of skin cancer that causes a lump, bump, or lesion to form on the outer layer of the skin, which looks like a small and, sometimes, shiny bump or scaly flat patch on the skin that grows slowly over time.
While it is widely claimed that skin cancer is caused by excessive sun exposure, there has been research showing that it can also be caused by certain cosmetics—and even sunscreen.
The former supermodel celebrated her 70th birthday just a few weeks ago, posting about the milestone on her social media, which she underscored with a poem.
“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,” the caption read.
A few days before her birthday, Ms. Brinkley spoke to People magazine, where she said that turning 70 had led her to reflect on what is really important, and what she still wants to do in life.
“I think 70 is very similar to 50, in that it’s a time when you look both back and forward,” she told the outlet.
“I still have to see India,” she said. “I’ve never been to Tahiti or Thailand. I want to go to Bali also. I’ve got to do an Eat, Pray, Love.”
In addition to her modelling career, Ms. Brinkley has raised three children and has been a successful entrepreneur for years.
In 2016, she launched Bellissima, an organic zero-sugar sparkling white wine brand. She also collaborated with Xcel Brands Inc. for the launch of her lifestyle and apparel brand “TWRHLL” (or Tower Hill, named after her Long Island estate).
“If you take good care of yourself, and you eat right, and you exercise, and you have a good mental attitude—lots of laughter, lots of curiosity, lots of adventures—that keeps you young. In short, age is just a state of mind, so I just don’t think about it,” Ms. Brinkley told Tamron Hall in September, 2023.