This Is How Janice Dickinson Lost Her Money

Janice Dickinson rose to fame in the '70s and '80s as one of America's first supermodels, according to L'Officiel. Despite her almost-instant notoriety once she hit the runways, she did not have the easiest of starts. She was frequently turned down in her early days due to her unconventional appearance at the time, which did not fit in with the then-prevalent blond-haired, blue-eyed all-American girl ideal. However, after Wilhelmina Cooper decided to give her a chance, the young model went on to work with some of the biggest names in fashion. Even after she retired, Dickinson continued to work in the modeling world, starring as a judge alongside Tyra Banks on the reality television show "America's Next Top Model" and, later, on her own reality program, "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency."

When the New York native began her reality show, she gave a 2008 interview to The Futon Critic, in which she explained her passion for modeling and training other young women how to model. Dickinson stated, "I eat and sleep for kids achieving their dreams. This allows me to give back in a field and an industry that I worship ... it's just all facets of the industry that I absolutely love ..." 

It's no secret that the former supermodel earned a hefty living during her time modeling and starring on television. However, she found herself in a sticky spot back in 2013, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. The reason may surprise you.

In 2013, the New York Post confirmed through court papers that former supermodel Janice Dickinson owed about $1 million in debt. Dickinson admitted to Radar Online that year that she had lost all her money and was "upset" over the situation. "I had some trouble, so yes, it is true," she said. "I am upset and taking every step to pay everyone back and I feel terrible about it." 

The reason for the debt appears to have been a number of cosmetic procedures, both dermatological and surgical in nature. Among the debtors on Dickinson's list were doctors specializing in the field of anti-aging. Plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn told Radar Online that he suspected Dickinson had undergone various procedures, "including a facelift, eyelid lift, lip injections, Botox, fat injections, and a brow lift." Dickinson would have had to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for these procedures.

In addition to owing money for medical and cosmetic procedures, Dickinson was also reported to owe more than $500,000 in back taxes to the IRS and states of New York and California, according to the New York Post. Around the same time, she was evicted from the home she was renting in Los Angeles, where she owed her landlords three months of rent, totaling a whopping $17,700, as per TMZ. As a result of running out of money to pay off her debts, Dickinson declared bankruptcy in 2013. She received a lenient deal in 2014.

Just a couple of years after Janice Dickinson filed for bankruptcy, she found out she had breast cancer. In 2016, she gave an exclusive interview to the Daily Mail in which she revealed her diagnosis of early-stage ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The former model told the outlet, "Just two weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer ... It's still quite shocking. Today I got very scared ... I just get very scared and it hit me." 

Despite facing a cancer diagnosis, Dickinson remained strong, adding, "But I am not gonna let that define me, the fear. I'm going to get through this, I'll be just fine kiddo." She described the sensation of the doctor discovering the lump in her breast, stating that the pain clued her into the seriousness of the condition. When she received the confirmation of the diagnosis, Dickinson knew she had to be brave for her children and find the inner strength to "take it moment by moment."

Following six weeks of radiation, the "Celebrity Big Brother" star was declared cancer-free. In an interview with "This Morning" (per The Mirror), Dickinson stated that she had decided to use her experience to raise awareness for breast cancer and women's health. This has included encouraging other women to get regular check-ups and mammograms to catch any potential lumps in time to treat them successfully.