Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, a former star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," continues to be candid about her enduring fight against melanoma, a battle that recently saw the removal of her sixteenth skin cancer lesion.
At 43, Mellencamp Arroyave took to her Instagram stories to provide an update as she prepared for another procedure to excise the cancerous growth. Lying with her head resting on a pillow inside a car, she revealed that due to her aversion to general anesthesia, this particular operation would involve only a small dose of pain medication administered beforehand. “This explains my current state,” she noted.
Detailing the process, she explained that local anesthesia is used before the lesion is removed, allowing her to head home for recovery—a phase she openly admits to enjoying. However, she also confessed that the most challenging part of these surgeries, performed without full anesthesia, is "that first injection."
“I can’t quite explain why, but it always makes me so emotional. It’s painful,” she said, underscoring her desire to keep her followers informed and involved.
Mellencamp Arroyave has been unwavering in her commitment to raising awareness about melanoma, urging her audience to prioritize skin checks. She has shared Zoom calls with her dermatologist and recently, on September 4th, posted images showing her shoulder’s condition before melanoma was diagnosed, hoping to educate others on the visual signs of skin abnormalities.
"These pink patches transformed into light brown," she described, sharing another picture of "the initial mole I had removed," a small, irregular brown mark she encircled for emphasis. This, she noted, was "the first of my 16 melanomas, diagnosed at stage 2."
She continued her narrative, explaining that during a routine three-month checkup, yet another melanoma was discovered—her sixteenth. She expressed profound gratitude to the "remarkable doctors" at the Angeles Clinic who have been a cornerstone of her care.
In December, the reality TV alum and podcaster—who co-hosts "Two Ts In a Pod" alongside Tamra Judge—revealed a substantial scar on her back, a remnant from the removal of her thirteenth melanoma.
Melanoma, as cited by VeryWell Health, while not as prevalent as other skin cancers, is indeed the most perilous, with a propensity to metastasize rapidly if not detected early. The health outlet stresses that “prompt intervention is crucial,” with a five-year survival rate of 99.6% if the melanoma is confined to its initial site on the skin, plummeting to around 35.1% if it spreads to distant organs.
Following her surgery, Mellencamp Arroyave shared a video, remarking that “they took quite a substantial piece from my arm.” Additionally, she revealed that doctors also discovered “a small spot on my ear,” displaying a bandage positioned near the top of her ear.
"Advocate for your health," she urged her audience prior to the procedure. "Make sure you get your skin examined regularly."
The Quran - Chapter Al-Ma'arij: 10- 11
And no close friend will ask ˹about˺ their friends,
˹although˺ they will be made to see each other. The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children,
