A day after worrying his fans with a surprising social media post in which he said he was “dying,” Richard Simmons revealed that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer.
On Tuesday, Simmons took to Facebook to detail the moment she learned of the diagnosis and the procedure she underwent to try to eliminate the cancer cells.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, what is that spot that is so small? There was a strange looking lump under my right eye. I had a tube of neosporin that I put in in the morning and at night… 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, THE DOCTOR STATES: 'HE'S NOT THE SAME GUY ANYMORE'
Richard Simmons attends the 87th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 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 I would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope. Now I'm getting a little nervous.”
“He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. You have cancer,” he continued. “I asked him what type of cancer and he told me: Basel cell carcinoma. I told him to stop insulting me. He laughed.”
Simmons said he was advised to seek treatment from a “cancer doctor” as soon as possible.
The former fitness trainer visited Dr. Ralph A. Massey and underwent a procedure in which the doctor had to “burn” his skin with a small instrument to “remove cancer cells.”
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Richard Simmons attends An Evening with Richard Simmons at the Mount Airy Casino Resort on January 8, 2010, in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. (Bobby Bank/WireImage)
“As my skin began to burn, a tear fell down my cheek,” Simmons wrote. “You can't cry during this and he wiped my tear away. 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 successfully removed.
“After driving around the city, I came across some sad news,” he concluded. “I didn't get it all out. It burned my face again. This time it was worse than before… It was deeper. I didn't 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 respond to 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 a day after Simmons shared a cryptic message on Facebook that read, “I have some news to tell you. Please don't be sad. I'm…dying.”
He added: “Oh, now I can see your faces. The truth is that we are all dying. Every day we live we get closer to our death.”
Simmons continued her post by asking a question: “Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.”
Then, he 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.”
DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU ARE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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,” her statement began. “In fact, he is very healthy and happy. The sole purpose of the post was to be inspiring.”
Simmons, who stepped away from the spotlight 10 years ago, took to Facebook to apologize for the “confusion.”
“I'm sorry that many of you were upset by my message today,” he wrote. “Even the press has contacted me. I'm not dying. It was a message about how we should embrace every day we have. Sorry for this confusion.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
After building a successful career as a fitness and lifestyle coach, Simmons suddenly retired from public life in 2014.
