U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin disclosed over the weekend that he had skin cancer removed from his face.
While announcing the health update, Zeldin used his personal experience as an opportunity to urge people to wear sunscreen and regularly visit a dermatologist.
“PSA: Wear sunscreen and get your skin checked. I’m grateful to the incredible medical team at Walter Reed Medical Center who recently fully removed basal cell carcinoma (BCC) from my face,” he wrote in a post on X. “It started as a small, pearl-colored, dome-shaped lesion on my nose. After a biopsy, it came back positive for BCC.”
Zeldin announced that he is “relieved to be cancer-free,” and explained that his “dermatologist removed it using Mohs surgery, a precise technique that ensures all cancerous tissue is eliminated.”
Zeldin shared that a plastic surgeon reconstructed a portion of his nose.
“Following the surgery, a plastic surgeon reconstructed part of my nose using cartilage from behind my ear and a local skin flap to restore the area,” he explained, including a photo of himself in the post.
He recognized the “mistake” he made by spending time out in the without sun protection.
“Like many people, there were plenty of moments in my life when I spent time in the sun without sunscreen. That was a mistake. Consistently using SPF 30 or higher and getting regular skin checks can go a long way in preventing this,” he wrote.
“Please encourage your friends and family to wear sunscreen and see a dermatologist regularly. Early detection matters,” he asserted.
Zeldin lost the 2022 New York gubernatorial race to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). He served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2015 until early 2023.
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