“I’m not afraid to show myself to the world and you shouldn’t be either.”
Keke Palmer is getting real about the side effects of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Sharing a series of no-makeup selfies to Instagram on Tuesday, the 27-year-old actress opened up about her year-long struggle with acne and explained how after she tried “everything” she ultimately discovered that PCOS was the reason behind her troubled skin.
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“Hey you guys, for some of you this may be TMI, but for me my platform has always been used for things much greater than me,” Palmer began in the caption. “[Polycystic ovary] syndrome has been attacking me from the inside out my entire life and I had no idea.”
“My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed. I tried EVERYTHING,” she continued, before listing some of the remedies she tried. “I did Accutane TWICE. People say drink water, have a better diet, but I did all that, I ate all the ‘right’ things, my blood tests were fine.”
However, after the “Hustlers” star took matters into her own hands and looked into her family history, she understood “what was ACTUALLY happening” to her.
“Unfortunately doctors are people and if you don’t ‘look the part’ they may not think that’s your problem,” she said. “They may not even suggest it if you ‘look healthy’ whatever that means! I came to a doctor in tears once and all they offered was a measles vaccine… Exactly.”
Palmer said she then researched PCOS herself and brought her findings to a doctor, who diagnosed her with the hormone disorder.
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“I’m posting this to say that it’s okay and we can help ourselves. My skin has made me sad many nights but I do not give up on myself. I know this is not me and my body has been looking for help,” she wrote. “I do not have a medical degree but I did the research and took what I learned to a doctor and that led them to a proper diagnosis.”
While she noted that people shouldn’t trust the internet for everything, the “Strahan and Keke” host said the point is that “no one can help us like we can help ourselves.”
Continuing in her post, Palmer said the fact that she had to the research on her own makes her “especially sad” knowing that her family “struggled for years” to find answers to their health struggles.
“No doctor could help them, they actually mislead them and just took their money,” she wrote. “It’s only because of what my family sacrificed that allows me to even have the resources to share the information I’m sharing with you! Their fight out of poverty gave me a better life and I just want to share what I learn 🙏🏾”
Palmer concluded by reassuring them that they’re “not alone” and they shouldn’t be “afraid” to show everyone their true selves.
“The least harmful thing PCOS can bring is acne,” she explained. “To all the people struggling with this please know you’re not alone and that you are still so f–king fine! MY ACNE AINT NEVER STOPPED ME. But we don’t have accept this. Now I can really help KEKE! And I love her so it’s ON.”
“Pray for me on this journey and I will pray for you too,” Palmer concluded. “I’m not afraid to show myself to the world and you shouldn’t be either ❤️
