Khloé Kardashian is opening up about her recovery from skin cancer, and urging her followers to pay attention to the safety of their own skin.
The reality TV star and fashion designer shared a series of photos on Instagram Tuesday showing the damage on her face since having a melanoma tumor removed last October.
Kardashian, 39, said that for over one year, she thought a tiny spot on her cheek was a pimple.
It turned out to be melanoma, a type of skin cancer that often shows up on the skin looking like a new mole, age spot or freckle, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
After having the tumor removed last October by a Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon, Kardashian said she was left with an indentation on her cheek.
She said she waited nine months and then recently had the indentation filled in order to return her check back to its natural shape.
"I'm just so happy that my face is finally coming back together," Kardashian wrote alongside a series of photos showing her medical journey.
Kardashian, a mom of two, also encouraged her followers to get their skin checked by a dermatologist at least once a year.
"I never imagined that this tiny spec would turn into skin cancer and I can't fathom what could have possibly happened had I not gone to the doctor to get it looked at," she wrote. "Paying attention to our skin and changes in our skin and our body, no matter how small, is so important."
She continued, "There is no such thing as being too careful. You are you're responsibility baby! Take care of you."
It's estimated that more than 1 million Americans are currently living with melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer in which cancer cells form in melanocytes, the cells that give skin its color, according to the AADA and the National Cancer Institute.
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer that can spread throughout the body. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that melanoma causes the most deaths out of all skin cancers from its ability to spread throughout the body and grow into or invade other organs
While Kardashian's melanoma tumor was discovered as a spot on her face, there are other ways the cancer can show up on the body, including as a dark vertical line beneath or a band of darker skin around a toenail or fingernail and as a "slowly growing patch of thick skin" on the body that can resemble a scar, according to the AADA.
It can occur anywhere on the body, but in women is found most often on the arms and legs, according to the NCI.
The main risk factors for melanoma include exposure to ultraviolet rays, which are found in tanning beds and sun lamps in addition to the outdoors, a family history of melanoma, a personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers, a weakened immune system, certain types of moles and a complexion of fair skin, freckling and light hair, according to the CDC.
MORE: Woman diagnosed with melanoma at 21 shares her story: 'I never thought it could be a life-threatening issue'In the United States, the risk for melanoma varies by age. Before age 50, the risk for melanoma is higher for women; after age 50 the risk is higher in men.
The best ways to help lower the risk of melanoma include getting annual skin checks at a dermatologist's office and performing regular skin checks at home, avoiding using tanning beds, wearing sunscreen outdoors, wearing sun-protection clothing and avoiding the sun at its strongest, typically between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, according to the CDC.
Medical experts also say that people should know the "ABCDEs of melanoma," which include evaluating the characteristics of a mole for the following concerning appearances:
-Asymmetry -- When one half of the mole does not match the other.
-Border irregularity -- When the edges of the mole are irregular and not smooth.
-Color of the area -- When the mole is not evenly colored.
-Diameter of the mole -- When the mole is larger than 6 millimeters across.
-Evolving size of the area in question -- When the mole is changing in color, shape or size.
