For a good portion of her life, doctors told her to just lose weight. Turns out something else was going on.
Instagram / Keke Palmer
5-18% of women have PCOS, and a good percentage of these women are told what Keke Palmer was told.
“Lose weight. Exercise. Eat healthy”
PCOS is beyond that. Short for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS is a condition which affects the reproductive, psychological and metabolic lives of women. Its cause is related to complex factors useful in its diagnosis. These factors include insulin resistance, ovarian dysfunction and excess androgens(sex hormones).
Due to how complex it is, treatment is not limited to just medication. It is a combination of lifestyle modifications and medical therapies aimed at improving the symptoms. So, dear doctors, birth control pills won’t cut it. “Just exercise” won’t cut it.
Accurate diagnosis is especially important, and understanding what PCOS is will help you request it.
An Overview Of PCOS
Instagram / Keke Palmer
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a condition characterized by hormonal imbalance. The ovaries produce an abnormal level of the sex hormone class, androgens, causing an imbalance that results in missed periods, unpredictable ovulation and irregular menstrual cycles.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is diagnosed with at least two of these symptoms: irregular periods, excess androgen and polycystic ovaries. Irregular periods may take the form of periods that last for longer days than normal(2 – 7 days) or less than nine periods a year.
All genders produce androgens, but males typically make more. An example is testosterone. Androgens are responsible for puberty-related features such as deep voices and facial hair in males. In women, normal androgen levels help with conception and pregnancy and regulate menstruation.
The high level of androgen in women with PCOS results in excess facial and body hair. It may also manifest as severe acne.
The “Polycystic” in PCOS originates from the presence of cysts on the ovaries making it bigger. These cysts are only visible on an ultrasound, and they cause the ovaries to malfunction, leading to unpredictable ovulation and even an absence of ovulation.
PCOS’ complications range from infertility to type 2 diabetes, miscarriages, depression and endometrial cancer. Safe to say, it’s detrimental to both physical and mental health.
As such, early detection and treatment is key, and the first step to that is observing your body for symptoms, like Keke!
How Palmer Discovered She Had PCOS
Instagram / Keke Palmer
30-years-old Keke Palmer is not just little Akeelah from Akeelah and The Bee. She’s also a woman with PCOS who wants the world to know that “it’s different for everyone.” Born Lauren Keyana Palmer, Keke is an American actress and singer known for playing roles in comedies.
Palmer had bad acne all her life. People even offered to pay for her to get it “fixed”. She went on accutane, drank water, ate healthy foods, but none of that helped. She even had blood tests done, but the tests revealed nothing. Doctors did not take her seriously because she “looked healthy”.
“I came to a doctor in tears once, and all they offered me was a measles vaccine.”
The two symptoms that helped Keke Palmer discover she had PCOS were her severe acne and facial hair. In a 2021 episode of The Tamron Hall Show, she revealed that on researching her symptoms, she came across PCOS. It seemed to cover all the weird symptoms she’d been experiencing.
“I kind of discovered that that’s what I was dealing with, and it answered a lot of the questions to, not only why I had acne, but why I grow hair on my face or under my chin.”
It took examining her family history of obesity and diabetes and hours of research to get her PCOS diagnosis. In an Instagram post about her PCOS journey, she wrote,
“I’m posting this to say it’s okay and we can help ourselves. My skin has made me sad many times but I do not give up on myself. I know this is not me and my body has been looking for help.”
“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. I’m not saying trust WebMD for everything but what I am saying is no one can help us like we can help ourselves.”
What Keke’s Pregnancy Means For Women With PCOS
Instagram / Keke Palmer
Getting a PCOS diagnosis can be a frustrating process not only because the diagnostic criteria varies but also because the medical system requires persistence. In a world where you need to fight for correct diagnoses, Palmer’s story inspires women to do just that.
The pregnancy chapter of her story is a reminder that women with PCOS can conceive children. Last year on an episode of Saturday Night Live, Palmer announced her pregnancy, ripping her coat open to reveal her baby bump.
“There’s some rumors going around. People have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant’, and I want to set the record straight. I am!”
This was exciting news to fans especially because Palmer had been open about her struggle with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. PCOS is one of the many causes of infertility in women. However, according to the Office On Women’s Health and Keke’s experience, it does not mean you cannot get pregnant.
For fans with PCOS who desire to conceive children, this was more than just a pregnancy. It was hope.
“As a woman with PCOS seeing Keke Palmer pregnant and also having PCOS is truly amazing,” a woman tweeted. “The first thing you think about after your diagnosis is ‘Will I ever have kids?’. “
“With PCOS, you’re told you won’t have kids, so I know this hits different for her. Congratulations, Keke!”
Takeaway
Early detection is key to knowing the right way to manage PCOS. It’s easier to take the right steps when you actually know what’s happening in your body.
If you do get a PCOS diagnosis, don’t be scared to talk about it however and wherever you want to. For Keke, talking helped inspire others and empower her.
“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’.”