Keke Palmer says she’s been struggling to control her acne her entire adult life and, only now, did she find out what was triggering her persistent breakouts.

After taking matters into her own hands after a series of failed medications and treatments, the actress discovered that she has Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS.)

Palmer, 27, opened up about her health on Tuesday and shared a series of unfiltered selfies to gave fans a hard look at the breakouts currently covering her forehead, cheeks and chin. 

“Poly Cystic Ovarian [sic] Syndrome has been attacking me from the inside out my entire life and I had no idea,” the Strahan, Sara and Keke alum explained. “My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed. I tried EVERYTHING.”

Treatments included two rounds of Accutane —  a medication that is viewed among dermatologists as a last resort to cure severe acne due to the potential side effects — as well as dietary changes.

“I did all that, I ate all the ‘right’ things, my blood tests were fine. But 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,” Palmer explained, saying she had to advocate for herself and convince doctors that her acne wasn’t a vanity issue.

Palmer discouraged fans from trusting everything they read on medical websites, but advised the importance of doing independent research to find potential answers because “no one can help us like we can help ourselves.”

“The least harmful thing PCOS can bring is acne. To all the people struggling with this please know you’re not alone,” the actress concluded. “I’m not afraid to show myself to the world and you shouldn’t be either.”

By Megan Stone
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