The iconic singer and songwriter LeAnn Rimes recently shared a candid health update to Instagram revealing she had surgery to remove precancerous cells.
The singer revealed that results from her recent pap smear came back abnormal, resulting in the news she had high-grade cervical dysplasia, a precancerous condition in which abnormal cells grow on the surface of your cervix.
“Yesterday, I underwent a minor surgery,” she wrote on January 13.
“I wanted to share what I went in for because I think it’s an important reminder to get our annual screenings in order to catch changes that may be taking place within the body early on.”
The two-time Grammy winner went on to say that she went in for her regular pap smear “several months back,” and it wasn’t the first time she received abnormal results…
“In fact, I’ve had abnormal paps since I was 17, and through regular pap smears and colposcopies, my doctors have been keeping an eye on any cellular changes that could be taking place,” Rimes candidly shared.
However, at her recent appointment, Rimes received her unfortunate diagnosis. After consultation, Rimes said that her doctor decided to do a Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove the cells.
Rimes perceives this experience as an important reminder to stay on top of her health, and hopes her fans will do the same.
“I’ve always been open about my health challenges and this time around is no different,” she wrote.
“I think it’s important to share what we are going through with one another, and on another level, for me, as someone who has a platform to be able to raise awareness for issues such as psoriasis, mental health and now, women’s wellness and the importance of annual screenings and early detection.
“So, ladies, please don’t put off getting your annual pap. My men, too… make sure you get your annual physical, minus the pap smear.”
Rimes finished her health update with a message expressing her hope that through sharing her story, more open conversations with surface.
“Early stages of cervical cancer don’t usually involve symptoms, so annual screenings and early detection can be lifesaving,” she said.
“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.”
