Sunrise host Natalie Barr has revealed she was recently diagnosed with skin cancer on her nose, pleading with Australians to make sure they get their skin checked regularly.
The veteran presenter disclosed the health update to viewers during a live TV segment on Tuesday.
“I had a pimple on my nose that wouldn’t go away plus I reckon it was at least a couple of years since I had had a skin check,” she said.
“So, I came to the dermatologist and he said it was skin cancer, this tiny little dot on my nose.”
Barr hastened to add her condition was very treatable and said the issue had been detected early.
“The good news is more than 90 per cent of cases can be successfully treated if detected early and that is exactly what happened to me,” she explained.
“Using new AI technology, my doctor was able to detect and treat the issue without any surgery.”
Barr took viewers along to her appointment where the dermatologist used AI technology and a special device called a Spectrascope to assess the three millimetre lesion.
Barr’s result indicated potential presence of cancer which was later confirmed with a biopsy.
“After a biopsy was taken it did confirm I had a small skin cancer. The good news, it could be treated non-surgically,” she said.
“That (spot) was so tiny, it was just a tiny, tiny little red thing.”
The TV anchor is now undergoing treatment which involves a special type of cream and light therapy.
When asked about how she felt when she heard the news, Barr said she did feel somewhat shocked.
“You sort of go, ‘oh my god,’ I mean so many Aussies, millions and millions of us have skin cancer right … but it does make you think,” she revealed to co-host Matt Shirvington.
“So many of us think ‘I should get skin cancer checks’ … but it has been a few years since we all did it cause we all live in the sun.
“It is just a good reminder for everyone, remember get your skin checked regularly.”
Find out more about skin cancer and how to spot it here.