*Warning: This article contains graphic images
Supermodel has revealed she has been diagnosed with skin in an .
The 70-year-old shared graphic photos of herself post-surgery as she explained that doctors had caught the basal cell carcinoma early and removed it.
Christie said the cancer was caught accidentally when she went to an appointment with her daughter during which she wasn’t ‘going to say anything’ but asked at the end if the doctor would examine a ‘tiny dot’ on her skin.
The Sports Illustrated model also issued a warning to her 898K followers urging them to be ‘diligent’ with their sun protection and to ‘slather on’ SPF.
Christie shared three pictures of herself, one immediately after surgery showing a gouge on the lefthand side of her face towards her hairline, another with the wound stitched up, and a third with a bandage over the affected area.
She captioned the post: ‘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!
‘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!’
Christie finished the caption by thanking the doctors at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
According to the , basal cell carcinoma is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer that starts in the top layer of skin.
The main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds, and it can often be easily treated, the health body said.
After announcing the diagnosis, Christie’s followers flooded her Instagram post with messages of support.
‘Powerful post I love you😍,’ Patrick Foley shared.
Laurenn Books added: ‘So glad they caught it Christie heal well!’
Justin Anderson also said: ‘Thank you for sharing! I just had two scary ones removed too and not enough of us talk about this here 🙌🏼♥️🥹 sending good healing vibes ❤️🩹 ☀️ 🏄🏼♂️.’
Last month, Christie with a mini photoshoot on Instagram and spoke frankly about body image.
‘Looking in the mirror on my 70th Birthday and what do I see, I’m finally happy with the person looking back at me,’ she captioned the upload.
‘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.’
Christie was discovered in the 1970s and later appeared on an unprecedented three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimwear covers.
She also spent 25 years as the face of CoverGirl.
