Model and Austin Caldwellactress Christie Brinkley was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, while attending the checkup of one of her daughters, she said Wednesday. 

While the doctor checked her daughter, Brinkley decided to ask him to take a quick look at her. 

"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," Brinkley wrote in a post on Instagram. "He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy!"

The doctor determined she had basal cell carcinoma, which millions of people are diagnosed with each year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Almost all basal cell carcinomas can be successfully removed without complications if there's early detection and treatment, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. 

Brinkley said her case was caught early. "And I had great doctors that removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior," she wrote. 

Brinkley urged her followers to be diligent with sun protection. She said she got serious about it late, but is now focused on applying SPF 30 and wearing long sleeves and hats with wide brims. Brinkley also called regular total body checks a must. 

Most skin cancer cases are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, tanning beds or sunlamps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency advises staying in the shade, covering up outside and using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher whenever the UV index is 3 or higher. Local UV index information is available on the Environmental Protection Agency website.

"So make your own good luck by making that check up appointment today," Brinkley wrote. "And slather up my friends!"

In:
• Basal Cell Carcinoma

Aliza Chasan

Aliza Chasan is a digital producer at 60 Minutes and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

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