Keke Palmer Opens Up About Her Experience With PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a chronic hormonal disorder, affects more than 200,000 people yearly in the U.S., with symptoms ranging from acne to infertility. Keke Palmer, 28, known for her work in "Hustlers," among other projects, is opening up about how her PCOS symptoms impact her life.

The television personality discovered she had PCOS last year after looking for answers about her adult acne. "I started to zero in on the fact that, you know, for me to have dealt with acne past puberty in the way that I did, there had to be something deeper going on. And that's when I came upon PCOS and also things that I needed to change in terms of my diet," Palmer told Tamron Hall on the "Tamron Hall" show.

For Palmer, it's not just adult acne. She also suffers from facial hair, telling Hall, "I grow hair on my face or under my chin—you know, I kind of have a low-key beard going on that I have to shave every couple of days."

Palmer publicly shared her experience with the common condition on her Instagram last December, posting bare-faced selfies showcasing her acne and detailing her journey to diagnosis. While Palmer hoped her transparency would bring awareness of PCOS, she told Hall that publicly sharing her experience was to boost her own confidence as well.

'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.'

"It was to empower myself and to give myself the opportunity to say, 'You know what? Just own who you are, love yourself.' It was like me telling myself, 'I love you, girl, no matter what. I love you so much. I'm going to show your whole self to the world and I'm not going to be afraid,'" she said.

After having had difficulty finding a doctor to take her symptoms seriously, Palmer encourages others to advocate for themselves if they have similar health issues.

"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 wrote in her Instagram post. "And unfortunately, doctors are people and if you don't 'look the part,' they may not think that's your problem. They may not even suggest it if you 'look healthy,' whatever that means!"

You can follow Palmer's journey on her Instagram, and go here to learn more about PCOS.