Celebrities have massive influence over their fans, and we love it when they use their platforms to share their experiences or highlight certain issues. In a world obsessed with ‘perfection’, it is refreshing to see celebs tell their fans ‘I’m going through stuff too!’ and everything isn’t as perfect as it seems. PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a hormonal disorder that one in 5 Indian women suffer from, and is far more common than you think. Of late, many celebrities have opened up about their struggle with PCOS and how they deal with it, thereby normalising the conversation and helping spread awareness.
For the unversed, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS is a condition that affects a woman’s hormone levels, and it can cause irregular periods, weight gain, acne, and excessive facial or body hair. While there is no cure for PCOS as such, it can be managed through medicines and lifestyle changes.
Celebs Who Spoke About Dealing With PCOS
From Bollywood actresses like Sara Ali Khan and Sonam Kapoor to Hollywood divas like Victoria Beckham and Lea Michele- here’s a roundup of the celebrities who shared their personal experiences with PCOS and how they manage it.
Sara Ali Khan
It was during her Koffee With Karan debut that Sara Ali Khan opened up about living with PCOS. “I was 96 kgs, and I had PCOD. Because of that, I put on the amount of weight that I did. And it made it very hard for me to lose weight,” she said. Speaking with a leading magazine about how she dealt with it, Sara said, “For me, the most functional way to deal with PCOD is to eat healthy, sleep in a regimented way-try to regularise your body clock and to get in a certain about of work out every day if you can so that your hormone levels remain stable.”
Sonam Kapoor
Sonam Kapoor has been quite vocal about her struggle with PCOS and how she had gained 35 kg within a span of 5-6 months. During her appearance on Feet Up With The Stars, the actress recalled, “I gained around 35 kg in a span of five-six months. Hair started growing in all the weird places and I had acne too. During that time, I just didn’t feel good about myself.” She further revealed that she worked on her fitness and health and managed to keep the symptoms in check.
Shruti Haasan
Shruti Haasan has frequently talked about her battle with PCOS and dysmenorrhea, over the years. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, the actress revealed, “It makes every menstrual cycle really painful for me. We can’t talk about it, because of the stigma attached to it and lack of awareness. There are many women like me, grappling with mood swings, weight gain, excess hair, hair loss, pimples and a lot more, that comes with the territory.”
In June this year, Shruti Haasan shared that she had been facing some of the worst hormonal issues with her PCOS and endometriosis, and that she tries to manage them by keeping fit, working out, eating right and sleeping well. “Women know it’s a tough fight with imbalance, bloating and metabolic challenges—but instead of looking at it as a fight I choose to accept it as a natural movement that my body goes through to do its best,” she wrote.
Himanshi Khurana
In an interview, Himanshi Khurana once revealed that she has PCOS, due to which she struggles with fluctuating weight. She revealed that she has been body shamed by trolls on social media for her weight gain. Opening up about the symptoms, Himanshi said, “During PCOS, your body weight keeps fluctuating. Sometimes you lose so much weight and sometimes you gain a lot of weight. My blood pressure also fluctuates a lot. My BP levels sometimes drop so much that I have to take oxygen for three hours.”
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham was diagnosed with PCOS while trying to conceive her fourth child. While speaking to Now magazine, she said that people would often ask her if she was pregnant, and she would avert the questions. However, she later resorted to brutal honesty and would reply, “‘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
In an interview with Health, Glee actor Lea Michele revealed that she struggled with weight gain and acne for years, before being diagnosed with PCOS. Speaking about how she managed her symptoms, the actress said, “Through diet, I have been able to manage it. 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.”
Featured Image: Sonam Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan on Instagram
