LeAnn Rimes Reveals She Had Surgery to Remove Precancerous Cells
The singer's recent annual pap smear results came back abnormal, prompting her doctor to recommend a procedure to remove the precancerous cells, she said
LeAnn Rimes is sharing an update about her health.
In a lengthy Instagram post on Saturday, the singer, 41, revealed to her followers that she underwent a "minor" surgical procedure on Friday to remove precancerous cells following an abnormal pap smear.
She began her message by saying that January has historically been "a challenging month" for her. However, she said her 2024 got off to a smooth start.
"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," she wrote. "However, yesterday, I underwent a minor surgery."
She said she decided to share her personal health experience as a reminder to her fans to keep up with their annual screenings "in order to catch changes that may be taking place within the body early on."
Rimes then recounted the events that led to her having to go into the operating room.
"Several months back, I had my annual pap smear, which came back abnormal. 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," she explained.
Related: LeAnn Rimes on Turning 40: 'I Wouldn't Be 22 Again If You Paid Me'
A subsequent colposcopy and lab testing on her pap smear sample led to her being diagnosed with high-grade cervical dysplasia, or precancerous cervical cell changes. A high-grade stage indicates that a greater amount of tissue appears abnormal, according to the City of Hope cancer care network.
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"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, precancerous cells," the two-time Grammy winner continued, noting that she elected to be anesthetized. "I’ve had enough trauma in my life already, so I prefer to be out and comfortable."
A LEEP, or loop electrosurgical excision procedure, "uses a wire loop heated by electric current to remove cells and tissue in a woman’s lower genital tract," according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
After touching on how she's always chosen to be open about various aspects of her health — from her struggles with psoriasis to her mental health — Rimes said she is now beating the drum about the importance of annual medical 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 😂," she wrote.
Rimes noted in her post that early cervical cancer doesn't typically show symptoms, as she stressed that early detection can be "lifesaving."
"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," she concluded her message.
Back in July 2022, Rimes opened up about seeking help for her mental health by checking into a treatment facility in 2012. "I was in a very, very dark place," she told Insider.
"It was just time," she added of her decision to seek help. "It was time for me to break away from my deep codependency and to figure out what was chemically going on to be able to take care of myself."
At the time she entered treatment, Rimes told PEOPLE that it was an opportunity to take a break from her everyday life and reset.
"This is just a time for me to emotionally check out for a second and take care of myself and come back in 30 days as the best 30-year-old woman I can be," she said.
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