Ali Fedotowsky-Manno took a break on Thursday from the usual family photos that fill her Instagram feed to get candid about a very important topic.
The “Home and Family” star, who first gained fame as contestant on “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” in 2010, revealed that she's been diagnosed with skin cancer.
“GET YOUR SKIN CHECKED,” she urged her fans and followers. “A couple weeks ago I found out I have skin cancer. When my dermatologist used the c-word, I just about fainted in his office.”
Fedotowsky-Manno revealed that she has basal cell carcinoma.
“Thankfully, the type of skin cancer I have is rarely fatal and really never fatal when you catch it early,” she wrote.
Her message accompanied a trio of photos that revealed the location and appearance of the cancer.
“Swipe to the third pic to see what my mole looked like before I got the biopsy done (so you know what to look for),” she advised. “It’s on the left side of my body. The scar right above my belly button is from when I had cells/skin that may be cancerous removed six months ago. Needless to say, i’m never exposing my stomach to sun without sunscreen again!”
That’s good advice, according to the Mayo Clinic, which advises wearing sunscreen year-round as a method of prevention.
“Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days,” the institution recommends. “Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply ever two hours — or more often if you’re swimming.”
Other guidelines from Mayo Clinic include avoiding tanning beds, as well as direct sunlight when “the sun’s rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” and to regularly examine your own skin and report changes to your doctor.