5 celebrities who have been diagnosed with PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS as it's more commonly known, is a hormonal disorder that affects one in 10 women in Singapore.

Symptoms vary from person to person, but typically include irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, rapid weight gain, as well as acne and excessive facial and body hair; many women also do not experience any symptoms, which is one of the main reasons why PCOS typically goes undiagnosed. 

Opening up the conversation around PCOS will greatly help to normalise the syndrome. In recent years, many notable personalities have stepped forward and spoken up about their personal experiences with PCOS.

From A-listers like Victoria Beckham and Lea Michele to a former Victoria's Secret Angel, here are some celebrities that have opened up about their diagnosis, symptoms, and experience living with PCOS.

Victoria Beckham

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While the mother-of-four is known for being tight-lipped when it comes to her private life, she has been open about her PCOS diagnosis.

The former Spice Girl was diagnosed when she was trying to conceive her fourth child – Harper Seven – and struggles with infertility as well as irregular periods.

In an interview with UK title Now magazine, Beckham shared: "I'm really feeling that pressure. Every time I go out, someone says to me: 'Are you pregnant?'; at first I tried to dodge these questions with a vague response and a smile, but now, I have resorted to overt, brutal honesty."

The fashion mogul continues: "I keep that big smile and say something like, 'Actually, I'm struggling with infertility because of my PCOS, so my husband and I have been through several fertility treatments.

"No baby yet, but it'll happen soon!'"

Lea Michele

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Glee star Lea Michele is no stranger to PCOS as well. She was diagnosed with the condition after seeking a doctor for her severe acne and fluctuating weight.

"The side effects can be brutal – like weight gain and bad skin," Michele shared, in an interview with Health magazine.

"Through diet, I have been able to manage [my symptoms]. But I am very fortunate. There are way more extreme versions of PCOS that women have a lot of difficulty with – mine is not as intense.

"Which is why I haven't really talked about it, because there are women who have it so much more intense."

Romee Strijd

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In 2020, Dutch model and former Victoria's Secret angel Romee Strijd shared exciting news that she and her husband Laurens van Leeuwen were expecting their first child.

But alongside the announcement, Strijd also opened up about her struggle with infertility due to PCOS.

She was diagnosed with PCOS in 2018, after going seven years without a period.

"I was devastated because being a mom and starting a family is my biggest dream," she said.

"I was so scared that I would never be able to because I got told it was harder to get babies in a natural way."

After a couple of lifestyle changes that included an exercise and diet plan, she was able to get her period back on a regular cycle and had also managed to quell some of her other symptoms.

"I got my period back last November AND WE'RE SOON A FAMILY OF THREE. To the women trying to conceive, believe in yourself, and be nice for yourself and your body, and don't let those thoughts get to you too much."

Harnaam Kaur

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Rocking a full beard with style is model and activist Harnaam Kaur, otherwise known as the 'bearded dame'.

Her iconic beard is a result of hirsutism, a condition where women grow excessive facial and body hair – also a symptom of her PCOS diagnosis – and she has decided to let her hair grow out in accordance with her religious beliefs.

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"I had no idea what PCOS was. My doctor said 'this is what you have' and that was all I knew," Kaur revealed in an interview.

"At first I thought I was dying of a very rare disease because nobody in the media spoke about it!

"Growing up, I found out that Victoria Beckham has the same condition as me but there I was feeling like I was suffering from something that was super rare."

While she initially removed her facial hair due to the constant bullying she faced, she decided to embrace it when she was 16.

Kaur added: "The thing with PCOS is that it also affects women emotionally and again it's important to talk about your feelings. If you are being body-shamed, then do not take it.

"You need to find self-love. You need to change your thought process and you will flourish both internally and externally."

Keke Palmer

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Actress Keke Palmer detailed her skin journey with PCOS in an open Instagram post in 2020.

As PCOS can go undetected for many due to lack of awareness, and it can be extremely frustrating to deal with its symptoms when one had no clue as to what they were fighting, she highlights.

"PCOS 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," she revealed honestly on the social media platform.

"I did Accutane [acne medication] 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. The least harmful thing PCOS can bring is acne.

"To all the people struggling with this please know you're not alone and that you are still so f*****g fine! MY ACNE AINT NEVER STOPPED ME."

This article was first published in Her World Online.