Most of us have had moments of questioning whether or not a new bump or lump on our skin is worth checking out, and many of us have likely opted not to. Khloé Kardashian took to Instagram this week to share her recent skin scare in hopes of encouraging others to take their skin health seriously.

In a series of Instagram stories posted over the last 48 hours, Kardashian got real with her followers about discovering she had a tumor on her cheek. “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 realizing it was not budging,” she begins. “Dermatologist Dr. Tess Mauricio (@drtessmauricio) examined it, and a second biopsy was ran by Dr. Daniel Behroozan (@drdanbehroozan) because what they both were seeing was incredibly rare for someone my age.” The star continued on to reveal that upon learning that she needed immediate surgery to remove the tumor she turned to “none other that Dr. Garth Fisher, a dear friend of my family’s and one of the best surgeons in Beverly Hills, who I knew would take incredible care of my face.”

In addition to lots of pertinent and honest information about her condition and procedure, Khloé also posted a heartfelt thank you to the team of doctors who helped her handle this scary situation. In a more specific note to Dr. Fisher, Kardashian shares: “I know how deeply you didn’t want to cut into my face, but you did it to protect me. I trust you with everything and I’m so grateful we caught this early.” On a more positive note, the celeb shared a post-op selfie to let followers know that the surgery went perfectly and all her margins are now clear, so she is now happily moving on to the recovery stage of her journey.

Kardashian also revealed that this was not her first skin-disease related surgery, in hopes of further inspiring people to take their skin concerns seriously. “At 19 years old, I had melanoma on my back, and I had surgery to remove that as well, so I am pre-composed to melanomas,” she begins, “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.” Khloé’s story is one she hopes will serve as a wake-up call, and we can all learn from the star in her steadfast advocacy to trust your gut, and get checked.