If you’ve struggled with acne, you know it’s high up on the list of confidence crushers, but social media has shown us that we’re less alone than we think. Yesterday, 27-year-old actress Keke Palmer took to Instagram to share her battle with acne and how she’s dealt with it since her teen years.
Palmer attributes her fight with acne to her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)—a hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries with cysts on the outer edges—which she says has been “attacking me from the inside out my entire life and I had no idea.”
In terms of prevention, the Hustlers star has exhausted her options. “I tried EVERYTHING. I did Accutane TWICE. People say drink water, have a better diet, but I did all that…It took ME taking a personal look into my family—who has a history of diabetes and obesity—to understand what was ACTUALLY happening with me.”
While everyone with acne has their own personal struggle, Palmer tells her followers not to give up. “I’m posting this to say that it’s okay and we can help ourselves…I know this is not me and my body has been looking for help.” She also adds that an equal mix of consulting her doctor and conducting her own research has helped along the way.
“The least harmful thing PCOS can bring is acne,” she says. “To all the people struggling with this: please know you’re not alone and that you are still so f–king fine! MY ACNE NEVER STOPPED ME. But we don’t have to accept this. Now I can really help KEKE! And I love her so it’s ON.”
