Published Mar 13, 2020

‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Ariana Madix Shares Recommendations For Those Who — Like Her — Have Trouble Getting Answers About Skin Cancer Concerns

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As people around the world are focusing on one health issue, it’s still important to be aware of other measures we can all take to ensure we’re healthy overall.

“Vanderpump Rules” star Ariana Madix is again using her public platform to advocate and bring awareness to skin cancer — which is by far the most common cancer in the United States. Madix is now an ambassador for The Skin Cancer Foundation, and used a recent appearance on E! News’ “Daily Pop” to tout some of the great services the foundation offers to people who are concerned about their skin.

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Madix was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2018 and underwent surgery to have it removed, leaving her with a large scar near her shoulder. In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Madix disclosed that she was concerned about a mole on her skin for quite some time before she was actually diagnosed, but because she didn’t have insurance when she was working as a bartender at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant SUR, she wasn’t able to see a dermatologist to get checked out.

“The idea of, 'Oh, go get something checked [with a specialist]' was not something that I could have shelled out a couple hundred bucks on,” the TV star told SurvivorNet.

Madix stars in the Bravo series ‘Vanderpump Rules.’

In her appearance on “Daily Pop” this week, Madix emphasized the importance of early detection when it comes to skin cancer. Her own diagnosis was melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — but fortunately, it was detected and removed before it could spread to any other part of her body.

“I think what is so important about what happened to me is that it was the early detection and noticing that there was something weird, and then being persistent at the doctor to get answers, that got me to a point where I’m in a good place,” Madix told “Daily Pop” hosts Justin Sylvester and Carissa Culiner. “So, I don’t want anyone else to have to go through something worse than what I did. Early detection is so key.”

The TV star went on to explain the some of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s outreach programs — such as mobile testing — are doing amazing work for people who, like her, may not have access to healthcare that they need when they need it.

“It has mobile testing, and it can be a huge resource of information and help people be able to get to that point of detecting,” Ariana said. “Something that I definitely did not know is that [skin cancer] is the most common cancer that you can get. And that anybody can get it. It’s not just, you know, people who are in the sun. It’s not just people with fair skin. It’s anybody.”

Madix’s Melanoma Journey

In Madix’s interview with SurvivorNet, she explained that after her treatment, she fell into a bit of a slump — a phenomenon a lot of survivors experience. But one of the things that pulled her out of it was the opportunity to use her experience for good — both as a motivation for her own career and as an opportunity to get involved with skin cancer awareness.

She told SurvivorNet that when she first went public, there was some back and forth with fans in her Instagram comments section. Some accused her of simply getting a mole removed for cosmetic reasons, while others backed her up, noting how serious a melanoma diagnosis is.

"I really just want people to pay attention and to take it seriously," Madix said. "Know that your skin is the largest organ in your body and it's exposed to more things than most. It's not just do I have a zit? There's a lot more to it important shit that could make or break your life."