Heavy/Getty LeAnn Rimes is recovering after surgery
Singer LeAnn Rimes, who starred opposite Tyler Hynes in the 2018 Hallmark rom-com “It’s Christmas Eve,” is recovering from surgery to address “high-grade cervical dysplasia,” she revealed via Instagram on January 13, 2024.
Rimes, 41, wrote that though January has historically been a difficult month due to health challenges, the start of 2024 had been “joyful and easeful” — until her doctors recommended surgery to address abnormal, precancerous cells found in her cervix.
Here’s what you need to know:
LeAnn Rimes Says Medical Issues Have Made Last Several Januarys ‘Pretty Depressing’
“January is usually a challenging month for me,” Rimes wrote in her Instagram post detailing her latest procedure. “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.”
Rimes learned about her latest health challenge after getting her regular pap smear several months ago, she shared.
She wrote, “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. after my latest abnormal pap smear and colposcopy revealed that i had high grade cervical dysplasia.”
According to the Cervical Dysplasia Center at John Hopkins Medicine, the condition affects 250,000 to one million women in the U.S. each year. Cervical dysplasia is “the abnormal growth of cells on the surface of the cervix” that, while precancerous, can turn into cervical cancer — the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women.
After consulting with her doctor, Rimes wrote, “we jointly decided that a LEEP procedure would be in my best interest, in order to remove the high grade, abnormal, pre-cancerous cells.”
LEEP stands for “loop electrosurgical excision procedure,” per Johns Hopkins, during which a “wire loop heated by electric current” cuts away cells and tissue in the lower genital tract. Though the outpatient procedure is typically done with a shot of numbing medicine, Rimes said that she opted for general anesthesia.
She wrote, “usually you’re not under anaesthesia for this procedure, but i elected to be. i’ve had enough trauma in my life already, so i prefer to be out and comfortable. that, my friends, is advocating for your overall, mental wellness and comfort and i HIGHLY recommend it!”
LeAnn Rimes Hopes to Inspire Other Women to Self-Advocate & Get Yearly Screenings
Rimes, who’s been married to actor Eddie Cibrian for 12 years, said she shared her latest health challenge via social media in hopes that other women will be reminded of the importance of annual screenings, pointing out that “early stages of cervical cancer don’t usually involve symptoms, so annual screenings and early detection can be lifesaving.”
She wrote, “i’ve always been open about my health challenges and this time around is no different. 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.”
Rimes has endured a lifetime of health challenges, including dealing with psoriasis flares since she was six years old, she told Cyndi Lauper, fellow singer and psoriasis patient, on her podcast in 2021.
“All of the shame and all of the things that come with that mentally, emotionally, from having it so young,” she told Lauper, “it doesn’t matter when you’re diagnosed. I think all of the same feelings come up for all of us, and it can be so frustrating.”
Rimes has also struggled with dental issues in the past, suing her dentist in 2013 and revealing in 2015 that she was undergoing her 29th dental surgery, per the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, a year ago, Rimes was recovering after her doctor discovered a “bleed” on her vocal chord while treating her for the flu in December 2022, per ABC News. The singer had to cancel shows on her holiday tour, rescheduling them for months later.