Keke Palmer Gets Candid About PMOS Diagnosis: "I Was Telling Doctors, 'Y'all Are Wrong'"

One of the things that humanizes celebrities in the eyes of the public is when they are candid about personal struggles others are going through. Although most folks believe that celebs look at life through rose-colored glasses, taking a moment to be candid about the ups and downs of life makes them more favorable to the public, especially where health is concerned.

It’s no secret that Black women are disproportionately impacted by various conditions and diseases. From uterine fibroids to hypertension, the list tends to get longer as the days go by. And while not enough resources are poured into Black women’s health, it means a lot when celebs share their own accounts in attempts to move the needle.

So, when Keke Palmer revealed the struggles she faces with her acne-related polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) — formerly PCOS— diagnosis, the world stopped to listen.

On Monday, May 18, 2026, Hearst Magazines hosted the third annual Women’s Health Lab. During the immersive event, various celebrities, including Keke, sat down with editors to discuss a wide variety of health issues and solutions for women to live and feel better.

During Keke’s chat with Oprah Daily editor-at-large, Gayle King, the 32-year-old spoke candidly about her bout with PMOS.

“It hurt emotionally in a way that you can't describe… I had it all my life, and it was a burden I learned to wear, but I didn't want it,” she shared via People. “I remember just reaching a point where I said, ‘I got to solve this. I've got to fix this. This isn't just acne; this is my body telling me something more is going on.'”

Per the Cleveland Clinic, “PMOS is a condition that occurs when your ovaries create excess hormones. As a result, “your ovaries produce unusually high levels of hormones called androgens. This causes your reproductive hormones to become imbalanced and lead to irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, and infertility.”

Additionally, the Endocrine Society shares that PMOS is the most common hormonal disorder for women of reproductive age, with an estimated five to six million women having the condition.

Before her diagnosis, Keke recalled experiencing feelings of “crippling” and “unbearable” acne that not only took a toll on her confidence but also impacted her physically.

As a result, she decided to conduct some research of her own in order to get answers. And while she admitted to asking her doctor about having PCOS, her inquiry was dismissed due to her not having any cysts.

“I was telling doctors, y'all are wrong,” she recalled. “Everybody was on that glass skin, and I'm over here with cracked glass. It is a very heavy thing on your mental health because [I felt like] if I do it right, I should have the results," Keke continued. "I'm eating right. I'm doing the things. I'm exercising. I'm drinking water. Why is my body betraying me?”

However, it wasn’t until she had a consultation with an endocrinologist that she finally learned the truth. She did indeed have PCOS. From there, she decided to take action with treatment, which she admitted was difficult due to her being more partial to a holistic approach.

“There's always going to be side effects and stuff, but sometimes that's why science is there,” she shared. “I'm always going to have hormone dysfunction. Getting that diagnosis helped me understand, well, sometimes you need more help, girl, and there's nothing wrong with you going and doctors getting more help.”

On Dec. 1, 2020, actor and multihyphenate Keke Palmer took to Instagram to reveal that she was diagnosed with PCOS (now PMOS). In the post, she shared a picture of her bare face, which was full of acne scars and dark marks.

“Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome has been attacking me from the inside out my entire life, and I had no idea,” Keke shared. “My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed. I tried EVERYTHING. I did Accutane 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. 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.”

She went on to share the importance of everyone advocating for their health, especially since she wasn’t taken seriously by doctors.

“Unfortunately, doctors are people, and if you don’t 'look the part’ they may not think that’s your problem,” she shared. “They may not even suggest it if you ‘look healthy,’ whatever that means! I came to a doctor in tears once, and all they offered was a measles vaccine.

She continued: “I’m posting this to say that it’s okay and 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 and that you are still so f***ing fine! Pray for me on this journey and I will pray for you too.”