Living with a chronic health condition can feel like fighting an invisible, exhausting battle – especially when it affects your skin and shakes your self-confidence. During the 3rd annual Women’s Health Lab in New York City, actress and singer Keke Palmer opened up about her lifelong struggle with severe acne. Speaking on a panel with editor Gayle King, Palmer highlighted a major milestone in women’s medicine: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic syndrome (PMOS).

For Palmer, this name change is a massive and long-overdue victory. The 32-year-old actress shared that she spent years searching for answers because doctors initially dismissed her symptoms simply because she did not have physical cysts on her ovaries. Palmer described her adult acne as “crippling” and “unbearable,” explaining how heavily it weighed on her mental health. “It’s not just me needing to drink more water, because people kept saying that,” the former child star explained. “I’m like, I’m drinking a lot. At this point, I’m a fish.”

Her story shines a much-needed light on a widespread issue, as PMOS is a complex hormonal and metabolic disorder that affects one in ten women of childbearing age worldwide.

What’s happening in your body

PMOS is not just a reproductive problem; it’s a systemic (whole-body) condition that affects both the body’s endocrine (hormone) and metabolic (energy processing) systems. Because many women have the condition without developing ovarian cysts, it was recently renamed to “polyendocrine metabolic syndrome.”

The Mayo Clinic states that the underlying cause of PMOS is a significant hormonal imbalance in which the ovaries secrete excessive amounts of male sex hormones (androgens), including testosterone. These excess androgens cause a flood of these hormones in a woman’s bloodstream, which changes how her body functions and heavily overstimulates the sebaceous glands in the skin.

This overstimulation causes the glands to produce large quantities of thick sebum (oil), which combines with dead skin cells to completely block pores, leading to deep, painful, highly inflammatory cystic acne lesions that are unresponsive to normal over-the-counter washes.

Common causes of PMOS

Medical scientists and endocrinologists have not yet identified the single underlying cause of the polyendocrine metabolic syndrome. Instead, modern clinical science considers it a multifactorial condition in which multiple genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors contribute.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that family history is a major factor in your overall risk. Female patients with close family members with type 2 diabetes, thyroid disorders or severe hormonal imbalance have a significantly higher risk of developing PMOS.

This genetic connection indicates that the body’s underlying mechanisms for regulating hormones and processing blood sugar are defective at birth, and that the endocrine system is extremely susceptible to dysfunction as the child grows.

Insulin resistance is the most important metabolic factor that contributes to PMOS. Insulin, as the Cleveland Clinic describes, is an important hormone secreted by the pancreas that enables your cells to take up glucose (sugar) from the foods you eat and use it for energy on a day-to-day basis.

With insulin resistance, cells become numb to insulin, and your pancreas has to produce and release large amounts to maintain blood sugar levels. This constant excess of insulin in the bloodstream is a direct chemical signal to the ovaries to produce more testosterone and androgens. This vicious metabolic cycle is the cause of systemic inflammation, rapid weight gain and severe breakouts of the skin that are hormone-driven.

Diagnosis and treatment

PMOS symptoms can be extremely variable and are often dismissed as a medical diagnosis, making it very difficult to diagnose. As Palmer shared, “I remember reaching a point where I said, ‘I’ve got to solve this. I’ve got to fix this. This isn’t just acne; my body is telling me something more is going on.'” After taking the initiative to do some research, the mother of one “was telling doctors, ‘Y’all are wrong.'”

To get an accurate diagnosis, patients should consult a specialist, such as an endocrinologist, who will consider factors beyond the physical cysts. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that a diagnosis occurs when a patient undergoes a thorough review of the entire clinical history, careful consideration of any menstrual cycle irregularities and a comprehensive list of blood panels. These blood tests will assess androgen levels, thyroid function, fasting insulin and free testosterone to give a clear indication of what’s going on within the body.

“I hope the new name makes diagnosing and treating PMOS more accessible, because it de-emphasizes ovarian cysts and the need for an imaging study in order to reach a diagnosis,” says Dr. Sari Eitches, dual-board certified physician and medical advisor to Terra Mare in Los Angeles.

Balancing science and lifestyle

The complete management of PMOS needs to be achieved in a two-pronged approach, combining Western medicine beautifully with targeted lifestyle modifications. Since this is a long-term, underlying hormone imbalance, one can only expect the more severe physical symptoms to be corrected by the holistic approach alone to a minor degree.

Keke Palmer openly credited modern prescription medications with finally changing her skin health, revealing back in 2020 that she used the powerful drug isotretinoin (commonly known as Accutane) twice to control her painful breakouts. Beyond this, she credits changes to her diet and exercise routine, as well as menstrual cycle tracking, as helpful tools.

What worsens PMOS acne?

PMOS acne is especially hormone sensitive and aggravated by certain food choices and high chronic stress levels. The Cleveland Clinic states that high amounts of refined carbohydrates, white breads, processed sweets and sugary dairy products lead to spikes in your blood glucose.

These surges of insulin stimulate your body to produce even stronger spikes again and again, and your body responds by producing another round of skin-inflaming androgens from your ovaries. Also, stress causes your adrenal glands to release cortisol. Cortisol promotes inflammation throughout your body and causes your skin glands to produce excessive oil, which can further exacerbate inflammation and lead to painful, deep, cystic acne outbreaks.

What does a PMOS flare-up feel like?

A PMOS flare-up is physically painful and emotionally draining as it simultaneously involves several systems in the body. It appears on the skin as deep, tender, throbbing cystic acne beneath the surface, often in a line around the jawline, chin and upper neck.

Dr. Justus Rabach, MD, tells Blavity Health, “Begin monitoring your menstrual cycle carefully to anticipate hormonal changes that affect the skin. Your levels of the hormones progesterone and androgens rise naturally during the second half of your cycle (luteal phase), which can lead to increased oil production during the two weeks before your period. Using a cleanser with salicylic acid or a topical zinc to help block pores before deep cystic acne can develop can be beneficial if you apply it during this particular time frame.”

Patients may experience marked, unexplained physical tiredness, extreme cravings for sugar and abrupt weight gain or weight loss. On the physical side, flares can also cause a significant increase in facial hair – Palmer says that she used to sport a “beard” – as well as severe mood swings, raised anxiety and irregular and painful periods, because internal hormone levels go crazy.

Does PMOS qualify you for Ozempic?

Yes, GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic or Wegovy can be made available to you when you have a formal diagnosis of PMOS, but this is dependent on each person’s metabolic lab markers and overall body mass index (BMI). Ozempic is officially FDA-approved only for type 2 diabetes, but endocrinologists are often prescribing it “off-label” for patients with PMOS who have severe and stubborn insulin resistance.

If your lab tests show that you have severe insulin resistance, pre-diabetes or your PMOS has caused clinical obesity that fails to respond to normal diet and exercise changes, these weekly shots can be a very powerful tool, according to the Mayo Clinic. The medicine does this by enhancing cells’ sensitivity to insulin, dampening blood sugar fluctuations, and slowing digestion, all without harming the body.

Alternatives

Several evidence-based approaches can be used to complement a woman’s medical PMOS treatment when she wants to find a natural approach. Inositol (40:1 ratio of Myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol) is a highly effective complementary therapy, according to peer-reviewed nutritional studies published by the NIH. Inositol is a naturally occurring substance and an intracellular messenger that has been clinically proven to increase insulin sensitivity in the ovary and naturally reduce blood levels of testosterone.

Furthermore, daily gentle activity, eating lots of high-fiber whole foods and practicing stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness can have a profound impact on your systemic cortisol levels and, therefore, your body’s ability to regulate hormones more easily throughout the day over time.

When to see a doctor

You should schedule a comprehensive appointment with a primary care physician or an endocrinologist if you suffer from chronic, painful acne that completely resists standard topical treatments and lifestyle changes. You should also seek professional medical help if you experience irregular or missing periods, unexplained rapid weight gain or sudden excess hair growth on your face, chest, or back.

If you face medical dismissal because you lack ovarian cysts, remember Keke Palmer’s advocacy, stand your ground and request a full hormonal blood panel. Early and accurate medical intervention is the absolute best way to manage your internal metabolism and protect your long-term health.

Bottom line

Keke Palmer is quite forthright about the physical and emotional burden of having PMOS. As the medical community has changed to the new name, women without ovarian cysts are no longer barred from getting life-changing treatment. Women can take control of their bodies, eliminate the painful cystic acne and balance their hormones by using western prescription medicines, low-glycemic nutrition and muscle-building exercise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Keke Palmer do Accutane?

Yes, Keke Palmer previously revealed that she had to take the powerful prescription medication isotretinoin (Accutane) twice to help manage her severe, painful PMOS acne.

What vitamins am I lacking if I have PMOS?

Women living with PMOS are most frequently found to be clinically deficient in Vitamin D, which plays a vital role in cellular insulin sensitivity and overall hormone regulation.

Citations

Etienne V. Keke Palmer Talks “Crippling” Acne Struggle Due to PMOS: “Why Is My Body Betraying Me?” People.com. Published 2026. https://people.com/keke-palmer-talks-crippling-acne-struggle-due-to-pmos-11979406

Luppino O. Keke Palmer had to fight for her PMOS diagnosis – here’s how she knew she had the condition. Women’s Health. Published May 20, 2026. Accessed June 5, 2026. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/health/conditions/a71357191/keke-palmer-pmos-womens-health-lab/

Mayo Clinic. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. Published September 8, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/symptoms-causes/syc-20353439

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes Risk Factors. Diabetes. Published May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/risk-factors/index.html

Cleveland Clinic. Insulin. Cleveland Clinic. Published January 17, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22601-insulin

Attia GM, Alharbi OA, Aljohani RM. The Impact of Irregular Menstruation on Health: A Review of the Literature. Cureus. 2023;15(11). doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.49146

Cleveland clinic. Carbohydrates. Cleveland Clinic. Published March 8, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15416-carbohydrates

Cleveland Clinic. Insulin resistance: What it is, causes, symptoms & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Published 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance

Fitz, V., Graca, S., Mahalingaiah, S., et al. (2024). Inositol for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Inform the 2023 Update of the International Evidence-based PCOS Guidelines. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 109(6), 1630-1655. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgad762