LeAnn Rimes recently shared a personal health update, revealing that she underwent surgery this month to remove pre-cancerous cells.
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"January is usually a challenging month for me," Rimes begins in a post on Instagram. "Over the past couple of years, I've either been going through dental surgeries or recovering from a vocal hemorrhage around this time, which was all pretty depressing. But, I have to say, this January, has been joyful and easeful."
The "Blue" singer then explains, however, that this month did include a "minor surgery" that she wasn't expecting. The singer says that after her most recent pap smear, her doctor discovered abnormal cells. She revealed that she has had abnormal pap smear results since her teens, but this time, it resulted in something called "high grade cervical dysplasia." The condition occurs when abnormal cells grow on the surface of one's cervix, and without treatment, it can lead to cervical cancer.
"I consulted with my doctor and we jointly decided that a LEEP procedure would be in my best interest, in order to remove the high grade, abnormal, pre-cancerous cells," she says.
During the LEEP procedure, which stands for Loop electrical excision procedure, a wire loop heated by an electric current is used to remove cells and tissue in a woman's lower genital tract. Rimes mentions that the procedure usually doesn't call for anesthesia, but she chose to go that route, saying, "I've had enough trauma in my life already, so I prefer to be out and comfortable."
Rimes has been open about her struggles with psoriasis and mental health in the past, and she chose to be open about this recent procedure in order to spread awareness about getting annual screenings.
"Ladies, please don't put off getting your annual pap. My men, too... make sure you get your annual physical, minus the pap smear," she writes.
She concludes the message, writing, "Early stages of cervical cancer don't usually involve symptoms, so annual screenings and early detection can be lifesaving. And I believe, the more shares and conversations we have around women's wellness, the more we take the 'ewww' factor out of talking about vaginas and put the power back in our hands, to be able to take the best care of our bodies that we can."
Rimes has a handful of shows on her 2024 calendar, including a headlining show at The O2 in London, U.K. on May 8.
