Bela Padilla opens up about struggling with acne breakouts due to PCOS and hypothyroidism
Even celebrities like Bela Padilla get skin problems from time to time, too.
The actress got real about her struggles with hormonal acne, which she occasionally gets even though she’s living a healthy lifestyle. “Flare-up talaga and you don’t know when it’s gonna happen,” she said in an interview with entertainment portal PEP, noting that she eats clean, doesn’t smoke, rarely drinks, and makes it a point to squeeze workout into her days.
Bela opened up about her health conditions that could be increasing her risk for developing acne, including polycystic ovary syndrome and hypothyroidism.
"I have PCOS, I have hypothyroidism. Since I was 19, I was diagnosed with PCOS," she said.
Hypothyroidism is “when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones to meet your body’s needs.” The National Institutes of Health stated its symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, slowed heart rate, dry skin or hair, and heavy or irregular menstrual periods.
PCOS, meanwhile, is “a condition in which the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, male sex hormones that are usually present in women in small amounts.” According to John Hopkins Medicine, it can cause missed or irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, infertility, and weight gain, among others.
The local star confessed that her sudden acne breakouts can cause insecurities, especially in her line of work. "Even when you’re growing up, you’re in front of the camera. Yung trabaho mo, palaging nakaharap ang mukha mo. It’s really hard,” she explained, adding that she addresses it by sticking to a skincare routine that works for her.
Aside from Bela, Bea Alonzo and Angel Locsin previously opened up about battling hypothyroidism. Singer Moira Dela Torre also revealed she had hypothyroidism and PCOS but said she has been cleared of them in March this year.
