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One day after concerning fans with a startling social media post in which he said he was “dying,” Richard Simmons revealed he’s been diagnosed with skin cancer.
On Tuesday, Simmons took to Facebook to detail the moment he found out about the diagnosis and the procedure he underwent in attempt to remove the cancer cells.
“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 in the morning and the evening…. it was still there. It was time to call my dermatologist,” Simmons wrote in the lengthy post.
RICHARD SIMMONS LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT FOR THIS REASON, DOC CLAIMS: ‘HE’S JUST NOT THE SAME GUY ANYMORE’
Richard Simmons attends the 87th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 28, 2013, in New York City. (Scott Roth/FilmMagic)
“I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope. Now I am getting a little bit nervous.”
“He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. You have cancer,” he continued. “I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basel Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.”
Simmons said he was advised to seek treatment from a “cancer doctor” as soon as possible.
The former fitness coach paid a visit to Dr Ralph A. Massey and underwent a procedure in which the doctor had to “burn” his skin with a small instrument to “remove the cancer cells.”
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Richard Simmons attends An Evening with Richard Simmons at the Mount Airy Casino Resort on Jan. 8, 2010, in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. (Bobby Bank/WireImage)
“As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek,” Simmons wrote. “You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
Simmons said he was told to return in “an hour and a half” to see if the cancer had been removed successfully.
“After driving around the city, I went back to some sad news,” he concluded. “I didn’t get it all out. He burned my face again. This time was worse than before… It was deeper. I did not cry this time but I did grit my teeth. ‘Come back in another hour and a half.’… .to be continued…”
A representative for Simmons did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Richard Simmons attends World Fitness Day at the Georgia Dome on May 1, 2010, in Atlanta. (Moses Robinson/Getty Images)
The post comes one day after Simmons shared a cryptic message on Facebook saying, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am…. dying.”
He added, “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.”
Simmons continued his post by asking a question, “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.”
He, then, shared his recommendations for leading a healthy lifestyle.
After causing a stir among fans online, Simmons’ rep told Fox News Digital that the “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” instructor is “not dying.”
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Richard Simmons poses for a portrait in 1992 in Los Angeles. (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
“I can confirm with 100 percent certainty that Richard is not dying,” his statement began. “He’s, in fact, very healthy and happy. The sole purpose of the post was meant to be inspirational.”
Simmons, who stepped away from the spotlight 10 years ago, took to Facebook to apologize for the “confusion.”
“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today,” he wrote. “Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion.”
After building a successful career as a fitness and lifestyle coach, Simmons suddenly retreated from public life in 2014.
Christina Dugan Ramirez is a freelance entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.
