Richard Simmons was diagnosed with skin cancer.
On Tuesday, the 75-year-old fitness guru got raw and candid about the moment he was told he had this disease in an emotional social media post.
Simmons explained how he noticed “a weird lump under my right eye” that didn’t go away, prompting him to call his dermatologist.
And then? From there?
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 8 Richard Simmons in 2013](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-452372155-1024x741.jpg)
“I sat in his chair and he looked through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it off and put it under a microscope,” Simmons wrote on Facebook.
“Now I’m getting a little nervous. He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. ‘You have cancer.’”
Continued Simmons, who rose to fame in the 1980s through a series of popular exercise videos, said he has Basal cell carcinoma.
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 9 Richard Simmons at the video awards](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-177652890-682x1024.jpg)
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 10 Richard Simmons at the video awards](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-177652890-682x1024.jpg)
Simmons watched as the oncologist walked him through the treatment process.
The former fitness trainer said he was told the doctor would “burn my skin to remove the cancer cells,” explaining the following:
“There was no numbness, it just had to be done with a small instrument.
“When it started to burn my skin, a tear ran down my cheek… The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 11 photography by Richard Simmons](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-169822545-1024x707.jpg)
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 12 photography by Richard Simmons](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-169822545-1024x707.jpg)
According to Simmons, the doctor told him to come back in “an hour and a half” to find out if the procedure removed all of the cancer.
“I came back to some sad news,” he wrote online.
“He burned my face again. This time it was worse than before… It was deeper. This time I didn’t cry, but I gritted my teeth.”
Luckily, though, Simmons came back with an update for fans and followers on Wednesday.
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 13 Richard Simmons makes us laugh](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-167740657-1024x691.jpg)
![Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis 14 Richard Simmons makes us laugh](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-167740657-1024x691.jpg)
“Well, the third time was a charm. With a smile on (the doctor’s) face, he said, ‘We removed all the cancer cells.’ I gave him a hug.”
Simmons continued:
“Before I left, he checked my arms, back, chest and legs. I had a bit of Frankenstein under my right eye for a while. He gave me some cream to apply, which I did religiously. Because of his excellent work I don’t have a scar.
“I know some of you reading this have had cancer or known someone in your life who has had cancer. Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check-up.”
Amen.
Just a few days ago, Christie Brinkley also revealed a diagnosis of skin cancer.