Joe Biden's Fresh Head Bandage And 'Bizarre' Claim Spark New Health Fears

The sight of a major political figure in obvious decline always sends shockwaves through the media, but when the figure is former U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, the image becomes a flashpoint. Last Friday, 7 November, at a Democratic Party event, Joe Biden made a rare public appearance wearing a prominent new bandage on his head.

This visual sign of a recent procedure, combined with an emotional comment about his late son that critics quickly seized upon, reignited long-standing questions about the former president's age, health transparency, and long-term prognosis.

The recent skin cancer procedure is only the latest chapter in Joe Biden's complex medical history, which includes a serious prostate cancer diagnosis announced earlier this year.

'Should've Been The President': Joe Biden's Emotional Burn Pit Claim

The event was the Nebraska Democratic Party's Ben Nelson Gala, where Joe Biden gave an emotional tribute to his late son, Beau Biden.

Beau Biden had a distinguished career in politics and the military. He served as the 44th attorney general of Delaware and, prior to that, was deployed to Iraq in 2008 as an officer in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. Tragically, Beau's life was cut short by brain cancer in 2015.

During his speech, the former president scrutinised Donald Trump's administration for 'cutting government funding for cancer research'. He then linked his son's death to military toxic exposure. 'When the love of my life, my oldest son, the attorney general of the state of Delaware — who should've been the president, not me — volunteered to go to Iraq for a year, didn't have to, he came back with stage four glioblastoma because he lived in a burn pit just like those guys did on 9/11, and he died,' Joe Biden said. The claim that his son 'should've been president' immediately generated media attention due to the high-stakes political context.

Joe Biden's Complex Health: Gleason 9 And Mohs Surgery

The current health concerns surrounding Joe Biden have dramatically increased since his May 2025 revelation of a prostate cancer diagnosis. His office confirmed earlier this year that the cancer had already 'metastasized to his bones'.

• The diagnosis came after a routine physical exam found a nodule in his prostate.
• His prostate cancer is defined by a 'Gleason score of 9,' which medical professionals categorise as 'aggressive'.
• However, his office noted that the cancer 'appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management'.

The most recent visual concern—the new head bandage—is the result of surgery last September to remove skin cancer lesions on his forehead. The procedure, known as Mohs surgery, is highly precise and is very effective, with cure rates of up to 99 per cent for common skin cancers. Despite the commonality and success of the procedure, its visible nature on the 82-year-old Joe Biden adds weight to the ongoing debate over his fitness and public image.