How Keke Palmer Found Out The Truth About Her PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome affects as many as 5 million in the United States, according to the CDC. And actor-singer-multi-hyphenate Keke Palmer happens to be one of them, she revealed in an early December 2020 Instagram post.
In the candid Instagram share, Palmer posted three close-up photos of her face, which was makeup-free and noticeably marked with acne.
"[PCOS] has been attacking me from the inside out my entire life and I had no idea," she captioned the pictures. "My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed." However, despite all of the treatment she endured (Palmer noted that in addition to other methods, she did two rounds of Accutane) the acne was still there — and it was persistent. It may have taken her a lot of legwork, but Palmer eventually discovered the root cause of it. Find out more behind Palmer's research below.
How did Keke Palmer finally realize she has PCOS?
PCOS is "a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age," the Mayo Clinic notes. "Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs."
In Keke Palmer's December 2020 Instagram share, in which she revealed she's been suffering from the disorder her "entire life," she also explained how she finally found out what she's been dealing with after numerous acne treatments failed.
" ... It took ME taking a personal look into my family that has a history of diabetes and obesity, to understand what was ACTUALLY happening with me," she divulged, explaining that she "did the research" and took her findings to a doctor, which led to "a proper diagnosis" of PCOS.
"I'm not saying trust web md for everything haha," Palmer joked, "but what I am saying is no one can help us like we can help ourselves." There's nothing like being your own advocate, and in Palmer's case, her deep dive into her medical history led to an important discovery about herself.