If you haven’t been keeping up with the Kardashians lately, then there is a chance that you have missed that the youngest Kardashian sister, Khloe, was recently diagnosed with a skin tumor. 

After her fans kept asking the “Good American” owner why she is wearing a bandage on her face, Khloe took it to Instagram to reveal that she was diagnosed with a rare form of skin tumor. 

How she found out

The 38-year-old wrote: “I have seen numerous stories going around about the ever-evolving bandage on my face with some of you wondering why I’ve been wearing one for the past few weeks,” she further explained: “After noticing a small bump on my face and assuming it was something as minor as a zit, I decided to go get it biopsied 7 months after realizing it was not budging.”

After the results from the biopsy came back, Kardashian found out that she had to undergo surgery as soon as possible. She revealed: “A few days later I was told I need to have an immediate operation to remove a tumor from my face.” 

Khloe also took this opportunity to remind everybody to go on their annual check-ups and wear their sunscreen. She wrote: “I am someone who wears sunscreen every single day, religiously so no one is exempt from these things. Please take this seriously and do regular self-exams as well as your annual check-ups.”

This isn’t the only experience that Khloe has had with skin tumors. She also revealed that she was diagnosed with melanoma at the early age of 19. Khloe explained in her stories: “At 19 years old, I had melanoma on my back, and I had surgery to remove that as well, so I am pre-composed to melanomas. Even those who are not, we should be checking all the time.”

Signs to look out for

Khloe didn’t reveal what type of tumor she was diagnosed with, nor if it was benign or not. However, you have to understand that there are numerous types. And even though not all of them are deadly, considering that the localization of her tumor was on her cheek, it’s no surprise that doctors wanted to remove it as soon as possible. 

Skin cancer, or melanoma, is the best-known form of skin tumor. This is a type of cancer that causes millions of deaths every year. However, it’s also one of the rare types of cancer that are so easily preventable. You already know: stay away from the sun during peak hours, and make sure to always wear sunscreen.

But even with all of the sunscreen in the world, there is nothing that could replace an annual visit to the dermatologist. Melanomas don’t form overnight. It takes months, or even years, for them to fully develop. And if they are caught in their early stages, most of them are fully treatable. 

ABC rule

When self-checking your moles, follow the ABC rule. A stands for asymmetry. Dysplastic moles are most commonly asymmetrical. B stands for borders. Does your mole have uneven borders? That could be a red flag. C is for color. If your moles are uneven in color, or they have changed their color, schedule a visit to the dermatologist as soon as possible. 

I don’t want to scare you with any of this information. However, health is wealth. And you shouldn’t take it for granted. So make sure you pay attention to any changes that may occur on your skin.