Advertisement

The Bachelorette's Ali Fedotowsky-Manno Reveals She Has Skin Cancer: 'I’m Lucky I Caught It Early'

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno has skin cancer.

The Bachelorette alum, 35, revealed in an Instagram post on Thursday that she has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common form of skin cancer.

“GET YOUR SKIN CHECKED. A couple weeks ago I found out I have skin cancer. When my dermatologist used the c-word, I just about fainted in his office,” Fedotowsky-Manno began her post, which was accompanied alongside three photos of herself showcasing the cancerous mole on her stomach.

“Thankfully,” Fedotowsky-Manno said, “the type of skin cancer I have is rarely fatal and really never fatal when you catch it early. It’s called Basal cell carcinoma. Swipe to the third pic to see what my mole looked like before I got the biopsy done (so you know what to look for). It’s on the left side of my body. The scar right above my belly button is from when I had cells/skin that may be cancerous removed six months ago.”

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram

The diagnosis comes not long after Fedotowsky-Manno documented on her Instagram Story that she went to get her skin checked. Since receiving the results, she said she’ll be wearing sunscreen moving forward every time her stomach is exposed to sunshine.

“Needless to say, i’m never exposing my stomach to sun without sunscreen again!” said the reality star and blogger.

RELATED: Norah O’Donnell Says Her 3-Inch Scar is a ‘Great Reminder’ to Get Checked for Skin Cancer

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram

The mother of two, who shares daughter Molly, 3, and son Riley (who turns 2 in May) with husband Kevin Manno, then went on to implore her followers to also get their skin checked by a dermatologist.

“Basal cell carcinoma is super common. The most common skin cancer. You probably know someone who has it. So it’s no big deal. But what IS a big deal is not treating it and treating it early. That is why going to a dermatologist and getting your skin checked every year is SO important (I now go every 3/6 months). The VERY first thing I did when I got diagnosed was text my family on a group text urging them all to get their skin checked. So I’m doing the same for all of you, my extended family, right here and right now,” she explained.

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno's basal cell carcinoma | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno's basal cell carcinoma | Ali Fedotowsky/ Instagram

Admitted Fedotowsky-Manno, “I’m lucky it wasn’t melanoma. And I’m lucky that I caught it early. Moving forward I plan on making it a priority of mine to use the best natural products on my skin and be rigorous about applying sunscreen and reminding all of you to do the same! I love you guys! Take care of yourselves! #skincancer #skincancerawareness #skincancerprevention #basalcellcarcinoma #basalcell #skincheck.”

In a follow-up comment, she further revealed that she’s having minor surgery at the end of the month to have the mole removed.

“I’ll keep you guys posted. I have a minor surgery to have it removed on January 30th,” she said.

This isn’t the first time Fedotowsky-Manno has shown off her belly to share an important body message with her fans.

In March 2019, she proudly showed off her postpartum figure, posting before-and-after snaps of her pregnant belly.

RELATED: Ali Fedotowsky-Manno Gives an Honest Look at Her Postpartum Body in ‘Most Vulnerable’ Post

“It’s crazy to think this was my body 10 months ago,” she wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of her midsection during and after pregnancy.

“Look at that belly! … I knew I had a larger than average belly when I was pregnant with Riley (because he was a big baby and because I had Polyhydramnios). But I don’t think I realized just how big I was.”

“So why [on] earth would I think my body should bounce back to a flat tummy 10 months after THIS? Not only is my tummy not flat, but I have a large flap of loose skin that I don’t think [is] ever going to go away. And you know what, that’s OK,” she continued.

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno

“To be 100% honest with you guys I actually kind of like my loose skin,” she wrote. “That’s the honest truth. That isn’t to say that a year from now I won’t change my mind and want to do something about it but right now it feels like a badge of honor.”

“I earned this loose skin,” Fedotowsky-Manno continued. “I gave everything my body has to offer to bring two beautiful humans into this world! That’s not something I should feel ashamed of, [that’s] something I should feel empowered by!”