Over the past few weeks, Khloé Kardashian has been pictured multiple times with a plaster across one cheek, leading fans to speculate why – now, the reality star has bravely opened up and explained that she recently had a small tumour removed from her face following a skin cancer scare. The mother of two says she's speaking out about her personal health experience in the hope of raising awareness and preventing another family going through what hers just has.
Sharing her recent journey on her Instagram Stories, Khloé said that initially, she thought the small bump that appeared on her cheek was a spot, but decided to have it biopsied as a precaution when it was still there seven months later.
'After noticing a small bump on my face and assuming it was something as minor as a zit, I decided to get it biopsied 7 months after realising it was not budging,' she said. 'A few days later I was told I need to have an immediate operation to remove a tumour from my face. I called none other than Dr Garth Fisher, [a family friend and] one of the best surgeons in Beverley Hills, who I knew would take incredible care of my face.'
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The 38-year-old also shared that her diagnosis was 'incredibly rare' for a person of her age, and that her doctors remarked as such.
Thankfully, Khloé also told her 276 million followers that she is now in recovery. 'I am grateful to share that Dr. Fisher was able to get everything – all my margins appear clear and now we are onto the healing process.'
Moving forward, Khloé explained that she would still be wearing the protective covering over the site where the tumour was removed, and that once healed there likely will be some minor signs of her procedure.
'So here we are… you’ll probably see a scar (and an indentation in my cheek from the tumour being removed) but until then I hope you enjoy how fabulous I’m making these face bandages look.'
In speaking out, Khloé expressed how keen she is for everyone to take their health and the risk of skin cancer seriously, saying it's always worth getting something checked out if you're not sure about it and noting that this isn't the first time she's gone through a health scare of this nature.
'At 19 years old, I had melanoma on my back, and I had a 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. I am someone who wears sunscreen every single day, religiously so no one is exempt from these things. Please take this seriously and do your regular self-exams as well as your annual check-ups.'
The Good American founder ended her series of Stories by again sharing her immense gratitude for Dr Fisher - who she says was reluctant to 'cut into her face' but who 'did it to protect me'.
'I'm so grateful we caught this early,' she concluded. 'I was lucky and all I have is a scar to tell the story. Most people aren't as lucky as me and I'm forever thankful.'
As well as a lump on the skin like Khloé, the NHS advises keeping an eye on your moles, as a change in size, colour or texture may indicate that something is amiss. The official advice it shares on that front is to remember the 'ABCDE checklist':
- Asymmetrical – melanomas usually have 2 very different halves and are an irregular shape
- Border – melanomas usually have a notched or ragged border
- Colours – melanomas will usually be a mix of 2 or more colours
- Diameter – most melanomas are usually larger than 6mm in diameter
- Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma
We're so glad to hear that Khloé caught the melanoma early and is recovering well.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
