Richard Simmons Reveals Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Richard Simmons, 75, was recently diagnosed with skin cancer.

Just days after causing a stir with a Facebook post about death and dying, the reclusive star explained in a new post that he has basal cell carcinoma.

The health guru wrote, “Mirror mirror on the wall what’s that blemish which is so small? There was this strange looking bump under my right eye. I had a tube of neosporin which I would put on I the morning and the evening….it was still there. It was time to call my dermatologist.”

The dermatologist had to “scrape it and put it under the microscope,” and when the results came back about 20 minutes later, Simmons was told he had “the C word.”

Richard recalled hearing, “You have cancer.”

“I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basel Cell Carcinoma,” he wrote. “I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.”

Simmons joked that the dermatologist offered him some Botox while he was there, but that he replied, “Not today doctor.”

Next, he made an appointment with Dr. Ralph A. Massey. “He explained that he has to burn my skin to remove the cancer cells,” Richard wrote. “There was no numbing it just had to be done with a small instrument. As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek. You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”

The doctor told him to come back in an hour and a half to be checked again. That’s when he learned they didn’t “get it all out.”

“He burned my face again,” Simmons reported. “This time was worse than before...It was deeper. I did not cry this time but I did grit my teeth.” The doctor told him, “Come back in another hour and a half.”

The post then ended with “to be continued.”

In a second message he added, "Well the third time was a charm. With a smile on his face, he said, 'We got all the cancer cells out.' I gave him a hug. We are not done yet I have to stitch your face up. It took about 45 Minutes and I was done. 'I don’t want to see you back here again.'"

The star continued, "Before I left, he checked my arms my back, my chest and my legs. I had a little Frankenstein under my right eye for a while. He gave me some cream to put on it which I did religiously. Because of his fine work I don’t have a scar."

Richard went on to share stories of others who had been diagnosed with cancer, and wrote, "I know some of you reading this have had cancer or have known someone in your life who has had cancer. Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check up."

On Monday, the famed fitness legend had posted, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.”

He added, “Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.”

In the lengthy post, Richard also encouraged his followers to eat a healthy breakfast, salad, and work out.