‘Real Housewives’ Star Teddi Mellencamp, 43, Says ‘Little Bit Of Hair Growth’ Has Made Her Smile Through Stage 4 Melanoma Fight: ‘It’s Amazing What My Body Can Do’

“Cancer comes with so many emotions: anger, sadness, loneliness. And while I feel grateful that immunotherapy is saving my life, I feel like I live in a fog, and I can’t help but beat myself up on all of the ways I am falling short. I just desperately want to be back to my usual self.”

Mellencamp concluded, “So this little bit of hair growth, this change from May 12th (second slide) to today, June 16th, made me smile.

“It’s amazing what my body can do.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave (@teddimellencamp)

Her post was greeted with genuine praise from fans, with one commenting, “This is so real! I remember I would look in the mirror daily hoping my hair would be longer wanting to feel that same normalcy. From one thriver to another, give yourself grace. Feel the feels.”

“Praying I know it all to well but… I just had my first haircut in over a year of growth! Our bodies are amazing and you are doing amazing!” commented another fan.

A third fan commented, “I totally get what you are going through. I too am going through the fight of stage 4 melanoma and I have all the feelings you feel it’s terrible … you just want to be your old self. Keep up the fight … immunotherapy is amazing.”

Mellencamp’s hair update comes about two months after she offered fans a glimpse of the large scar on her head, stemming from the surgery she underwent earlier this year to remove four tumors removed from her brain .

“It’s been 76 days since I went to the ER with unbearable headaches and quickly found out I had multiple stage 4 tumors ‘the size of plums’ in my brain and lungs. Melanoma had metastasized there and been there for ‘6 months to a year’ and we had no clue,” she wrote.

“Since that day, I have had multiple surgeries, had rage from the steroids, felt very sick, laughed a ton, ridden horses, loved on my kids and felt great. When I first looked at this picture, at the scars on my head and my arm, I cried. Then, I felt a warmness rush through my body and felt so much peace”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave (@teddimellencamp)

She continued, “Peace from the incredible support system I have in my family and friends. Peace from the outpouring of love from y’all on here. Peace in knowing my story could help somebody save their life.

“Sending love to anyone struggling and reminding you if something isn’t feeling right to go get checked. Advocate for yourself. We have got this.”

We’re are thrilled to see Mellencamp feeling happy about her progress and to hear that her tumors haven’t grown since her surgery.

Speaking on a recent podcast episode of Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge’s podcast “Two Ts in a Pod,” Mellencamp revealed she’s in the 1% range improvement and her tumors may even be shrinking.

Despite the positive news, she admits, “But I am still stage 4 cancer.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Two Ts In A Pod (@two.ts.inapod)

Although Mellencamp appears to exude confidence with her hair short, she did reveal she sometimes decides to wear a wig for emotional comfort.

She wrote in another Instagram post, shared on May 7, “The day to day decision of wig versus no wig. Crying days I tend to pick the wig.

“The highs and lows of treatment for stage 4 brain and lung tumors are pretty extreme. Please go get your yearly checks. It’s melanoma awareness month. No better time than now to book and remind a friend or loved one.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave (@teddimellencamp)

Mellencamp has previously credited The Wig Fairy for helping her find hair that made her feel like herself “for the first time” in a while.

She shared footage of herself trying on different wig styles and colors, writing, “I was hesitant at first, as I’ve been wearing wigs since shaving my head, and wasn’t in love with them, from the fit to the way they made me itchy.

“But let me tell you, The Wig Fairy was beyond. From the start, trying on various styles, to the cut and styling to my liking, to seeing the final product which looks like it’s coming out of my actual head… I am so grateful. I know so many of you love me showing off my bald head, and some days I feel powerful and beautiful that way; but some days I want options. Especially now during this time I don’t have many, options make me feel like I am in control, and can help me when I’m feeling powerless.”

Prior to Mellencamp’s brain tumor battle, she was diagnosed with stage 0 melanoma back in March 2022. Then in October of that year, after keeping up with her skin checks, she was diagnosed with stage 2. Since then she’s had a total of 17 cancer growths removed.

She previously opened up about undergoing surgery to get cancer removed from her back following an unsuccessful immunotherapy treatment.

Coping With Hair Loss from Cancer Treatment

Hair loss can be an emotional stage of anyone’s cancer journey. SurvivorNet has tips and resources for anyone facing this side effect and struggling to manage it.

“For cancer patients losing one’s hair can be unbelievably stressful. To start with, the dread of losing one’s hair can lead to, some sleepless nights and feelings of anxiety,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet.

Chemotherapy can cause hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after beginning chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment.

WATCH: Hair loss during chemo.

It happens because this treatment targets quickly dividing cells throughout the body. That includes cancer cells, but also hair cells.

Radiation is another treatment that can lead to hair loss if the hair is in the path of the tumor being treated. Radiation for a brain tumor, for example, may cause hair loss on the head.

“If you do lose hair, it will regrow several weeks or months after treatment,” radiation oncologist at GensisCare Dr. James Taylor told SurvivorNet.

“Fortunately, for most patients, hair loss is not a concern when having radiation therapy.”

Most patients can expect regrowth around four to six weeks after they complete treatment. However, it is possible when your hair grows back you may notice some changes in its color and texture.

Dr. Boardman suggests connecting with others who are experiencing cancer treatment like yours and asking them for first-hand advice.

“Talk to people who have been through it, get their advice, voice your concerns to your caregiver, and see what they can do,” Dr. Boardman added.

If losing your hair is a concern for you ahead of cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and more.

Some people choose to wear a cold cap during infusions to help protect her hair follicles. With scalp-cooling devices, they were approved by the FDA in recent years first in breast cancer and then in several other cancers.

Dr. Julie Nangia, a medical oncologist at Baylor College of Medicine and a lead author on one of the major studies of the device, says 50% of women were able to keep their hair after four rounds of chemotherapy, and added: “Without the devices, 100% of patients lost their hair.”

There have been some questions of safety when it comes to scalp-cooling, but Dr. Nangia says that when given to people who have solid tumors (like breast, ovarian, colon, and lung cancer) the devices are safe.

Understanding Melanoma

Melanoma occurs in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In this type of cancer, the cells change, allowing them to spread to other organs.

Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma.

RELATED: Speaking Out After Skin Cancer Surgery: ‘Summer House’ Star Ashley Wirkus ‘Always Wore Sunscreen’ Says it Still Wasn’t Enough

You’re most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed skin areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. Surprisingly, you might also find them in other places as well, like:

• The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
• On your eyes or mouth
• Under your nails

The top way to protect yourself is by staying out of the sun, especially during peak hours, and avoiding unprotected sun exposure because ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to melanoma.

Experts, such as Dr. Anna Pavlick, an oncologist at NYU’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, say tanning beds pose ultraviolet radiation risks for skin cancer and should be avoided completely.

RELATED: How Do I Know My Skin Cancer is Gone?

Dr. Pavlick says that people who are covered with moles stand a higher risk of developing skin cancer, especially people with dysplastic nevus syndrome or “atypical” moles.

Atypical moles are unusual-looking and irregularly shaped when seen under a microscope. Although usually benign, a high number of atypical moles does signal an increased risk for melanoma, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, which says people with 10 or more atypical moles have a 12 times higher risk of developing melanoma.

Warning Signs of Skin Cancer – Remember ABDCE

The most important thing to look out for when it comes to finding melanoma is a sudden, new spot on your skin or a spot that is quickly changing in size, shape, or color.

Dr. Cecelia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends implementing the ABCDE rule to determine if a mole requires further examination.

The ABCDE rule:

• A: Asymmetry of the mole, or when one half of the mole doesn’t match the other
• B: Border irregularity or Bleeding
• C: Color change, either lightening or darkening of a mole
• D: Diameter greater than 6mm or enlarging moles
• E: Evolving size, shape, or color.

WATCH: Dr. Cecila Larocca on the ABCDEs of checking moles for signs of skin cancer

Melanoma that moves into the body, away from the skin, becomes an entirely different treatment journey for patients.

Treatment options for melanoma that have spread include targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which give people a better chance of living a long and healthy life than ever before. If you’re diagnosed with melanoma, there’s a good chance surgery will be the treatment your doctor recommends.

Cancer removal usually leads to a cure in the early stages of the disease. After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes are examined to measure the melanoma and determine if it has clear margins. Clear margins mean the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don’t contain any melanoma.

When no cancer cells are left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to return.

Melanoma Treatment Options

Melanoma treatment has come a long way. Survival rates have risen dramatically, thanks to a “treatment revolution,” say SurvivorNet’s experts. With breakthrough treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy now available, people who are diagnosed today have a much better chance of living a long and healthy life than ever before.

If you’re diagnosed with melanoma, there’s a good chance surgery is going to be the treatment your doctor recommends. In the early stages of the disease, removing the cancer should lead to a cure. The question is typically not whether you’ll get surgery but which kind you’ll have.

WATCH: Dermatologic Surgeon Dr. Nima Gharavi, On The “Gold Standard Treatment” For Melanoma

For an early-stage melanoma that is close to the skin surface, Mohs surgery might be an option. This technique removes skin cancer, layer by layer until all the cancer is gone.

In general, stage I melanoma surgery consists of a dermatologist’s simple, in-office removal of the cancerous cells. If the cancer is thicker, your surgeon will remove it through a technique called wide excision surgery.

The removal of stage II and III melanomas is performed by surgeons or surgical oncologists, not dermatologists. You may also have a sentinel lymph node biopsy to see if the melanoma has spread to the first lymph node where it’s most likely to travel. If your cancer has reached this first lymph node, it may have spread to other neighboring lymph nodes and possibly to other organs. Where the cancer is will dictate your treatment.

After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes are sent to a specialist called a pathologist, who measures the melanoma and determines whether it has clear margins. Clear margins mean the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don’t contain any melanoma. When there aren’t any cancer cells left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to come back.

Once your cancer spreads, treatment gets a little more complicated, but there are still ways to stop it. New treatments have vastly improved the outlook for people with metastatic, or stage IV, melanoma.

Targeted drugs and immunotherapy have been shown to be more effective than chemotherapy. So, with many more choices, there is no standard treatment. Treatment will vary based on your condition and whether there is a recurrent disease.

Research has found that immunotherapy drugs such as Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) helped some people live longer. Combining immunotherapy drugs Yervoy (ipilimumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) has also extended survival. Opdivo (nivolumab) + relatlimab is a new therapy option added to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines in 2022.  The combination of two immunotherapies is called Opdualag.

For those with the BRAF mutation, targeted drugs that shrink or slow the tumor can be a good option. This could include a combination of drugs, such as:

• Zelboraf (vemurafenib) and Cotellic (cobimetinib)
• Braftovi (encorafenib) and Mektovi (binimetinib)
• Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist (trametinib)
• Zelboraf (vemurafenib) and Cotellic (cobimetinib) can also be combined with atezolizumab.

“Every patient is different, and every situation is different,” says Dr. Anna Pavlick, medical oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. She emphasized that “there is no cookie-cutter recipe” for treating stage IV melanoma.

There Is No “Cookie Cutter Recipe” for Treating Stage Four Melanoma

Dr. Pavlick also notes the importance of personalized care and treatment. “It really is a matter of looking at the tools we have so that we can pick the right tools to give the patient the best outcome.”

So, while there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating metastatic melanoma, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to your individual situation. Advances in research and technology are making the fight against metastatic melanoma more hopeful than ever.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, SurvivorNet suggests some of the following questions to address with your care team:

• What type of skin cancer do I have?
• What treatment options exist for my type of melanoma?
• Will insurance cover this treatment?
• Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense for me?
• What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?

Contributing: SurvivorNet

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

---