‘Real Housewives’ Alum Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave Shares Giant Scar Photo During Melanoma Battle

Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, known for her appearance on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, continues to document her battle with melanoma. In a recent Instagram post, the 42-year-old shared a photo that revealed a significant scar on her back after surgery to remove the cancer.

Mellencamp Arroyave started the post with a lighthearted message she received from a follower who compared her scar to a whale swallowing bubbles, which made her laugh. She then encouraged her followers to share what they saw in the image to add a touch of humor to the discussion. The reality star included the hashtag “#SkinCancerAwareness.”

Earlier this week, Mellencamp Arroyave posted a photo of herself in the hospital and informed her followers that her surgery had gone well. She also took the opportunity to explain the procedure, which involved a “wide excision melanoma, soft tissue defect reconstruction with adjacent tissue rearrangement.”

The area on her shoulder was removed and replaced with a flap of skin from her back. Despite the pain and discomfort, Mellencamp Arroyave said that it was all worth it.

She expressed her gratitude for her fans’ ongoing support and acknowledged she wished she could respond to everyone individually.

Mellencamp Arroyave concluded her post with a heartfelt plea for everyone to prioritize their skin health and get regular check-ups. She emphasized the importance of early detection, as her own experience has shown the rapid progression of melanoma. She urged her followers, “Please get your skin checked. I promise you do not want to go through this.” The hashtags “#skincancerawareness” and “#melanomaawareness” underscored her message.

In November, Mellencamp Arroyave revealed that her initial immunotherapy treatment for melanoma had not been effective, which led her doctors to increase her dosage. However, she shared a positive update that she had seen some progress.

This is not the first time Mellencamp Arroyave has faced melanoma. She has battled the disease 12 times before – her first diagnosis occurred in October 2022. In December of that same year, she revealed her experience and emphasized the importance of regular skin checks and timely doctor’s appointments.