YouTuber Emma Chamberlain reveals she was diagnosed with serious health disorder at the HAIR SALON
YouTube star, Emma Chamberlain, revealed the unexpected way she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) during a chance encounter at the hair salon.
In a Vogue video, released on Tuesday, the social media sensation, 23, recalled the exact moment a stranger informed her that she appeared to be suffering from a hormonal disorder, which goes undiagnosed in upward of 70% of affected women.
'I was sitting in the chair getting my hair washed and a woman was next to me and she turned to me and she said, "Do you have PCOS"?' the influencer told viewers.
'I was like, "I don't know. My mom has PCOS. She has PCOS and endometriosis and she's had a lot of challenges," Chamberlain replied. 'And she was like, "I think you have PCOS."'
The content creator, who has launched successful ventures like Chamberlain Coffee and a Spotify exclusive podcast, explained the woman 'could tell by the acne' on her cheeks, at the time.
'Turns out she was an OBGYN and she diagnosed me with PCOS,' Chamberlain said of the fateful interaction that happened over a year ago. 'It's really changed my life, to be honest.'
Since getting her diagnosis and getting medication to help regulate hormones, Chamberlain said her periods have been 'so much more chill.'
'My skin is so much more predictable. My hair is getting thicker. It's just feeling like I'm coming back to myself in a way,' she raved.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work.
The three main features of PCOS are irregular periods, excess androgen, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair and polycystic ovaries.
Symptoms include menstrual irregularity, excess hair growth, acne, and obesity.
The condition affects around one in 10 American women of childbearing age - and can impact fertility.
Chamberlain first revealed her PCOS diagnosis in March 2024 during an episode of her Anything Goes podcast.
'I found out it's the reason that for many years I've had irregular periods, cystic acne, anxiety, depression and a slew of other issues,' she said, at the time. 'It could also possibly impact my fertility, which is upsetting. It's definitely a bummer.'
She continued: 'It's common. I know a lot of girls with PCOS and I think I have a milder version of it. I don't have the cysts, I don't have all of the symptoms of PCOS, but alas, I have it.'
Chamberlain noted that 'hopefully' she will 'be fertile' when she is 'ready to have children' in six to eight years, according to her timeline.
The YouTuber pointed out that her diagnosis was 'a little less frightening' as her mom has PCOS and was still able to get pregnant with her.
In the past, Chamberlain has openly discussed her mental health struggles, particularly anxiety, burnout, and perfectionism.
In 2021, she told Vogue when she is burnout that the best thing she can do is 'nothing and wait for it to pass and it always does.'
'I used to push through it and I would go deeper and darker into that bad spot. Now when I feel it coming, I beat it before it gets too bad,' she explained.
Exercise, like a walk, jog or doing Pilates at home, helps as well as reading, cooking and listening to educational podcasts.
Chamberlain, who began her YouTube career at the age of 16 as a sophomore in high school, admitted that she has 'struggled with anxiety ever since' she can remember.
'I've been dealing with it since pre-school when I would get really severe separation anxiety from my parents and also from inanimate objects,' she noted. 'I always felt different. People would feel fine with their parents dropping them off at elementary school and I really had a hard time.'
As a kid, she recalled getting 'really anxious about weird things' like getting in trouble.
To this day, she said that she still struggles with needing to do 'the right thing' and wanting 'every move' of hers to be 'perfect.'
'I don't ever want to make a mistake and that's just not realistic,' she acknowledged.
Chamberlain detailed that her 'perfectionist mentality' forces her to think that she needs to 'every single situation' right and that she 'can't ever be awkward.'
'It's so much pressure,' she emphasized. 'I also get anxiety about things happening to the people I love. Like, if I text one of my parents and they don't respond within the hour, I'll spiral and it's extreme.'
The star said that while she hasn't been diagnosed with OCD that she does 'have a lot of the tendencies and behaviors.'
'I get intrusive thoughts and I black out in these moments because I'm so consumed in my mind,' she stated.
During that same 2021 Vogue interview, Chamberlain noted that both her 'parents have struggled throughout their lives with different forms of anxiety and depression' so they've been able to help her through it.
In 2020, she spoke about how 'growing up' with social media and in the public eye gave her 'eating issues as a kid.'
'I literally have struggled with that my whole life. Almost every person I've met has had some form of an eating disorder. I mean, I've had...I don't want to trigger anyone, but so many,' she told Cosmopolitan.
Chamberlain's job involves her looking at herself for hours on end as she edits YouTube videos from her bed, her chosen place to do work.
Constantly looking at herself, though, has caused the influencer to struggle with body dysmorphia, which causes her to think she looks larger than she actually appears.
'I've been fully not at a healthy weight and I thought I was obese multiple times,' she said.
'It's awful. My whole family was telling me I looked terrible. They were like, "You look like you're dying." I was like, "I think I look great."
Dealing with her dysmorphia has encouraged the YouTuber to never use photo editing applications like FaceTune, which is popular for making one look thinner or smoothing out skin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ben Askren's wife provides emotional health update on ex-UFC star's condition
The former UFC star was unresponsive last week after he contracted pneumonia- with his wife Amy now providing an update on her husband's condition Ben Askren 's wife Amy has given an emotional update on her husband, confirming that the ex-UFC star remains in hospital on a ventilator. The 40-year-old was recently hospitalised earlier this month after contracting pneumonia as a result of a staph infection. Last week, the American was unresponsive - and rumours began circulating online that he had died. However, those rumours were quickly shut down. Askren's good friend Daniel Cormier recently claimed that the former two-promotion champion was back home. However, Amy has since provided a fresh update on her husband's condition via Facebook on Tuesday evening. She revealed that her partner's body 'can't handle coming off sedation,' and he may need to undergo a lung transplant. In an emotional post uploaded to social media, she wrote: "I haven't shared an update because Ben has been in limbo for a while and I was hoping to have him wake up and be the one to decide what to share. I've had some media people contact me that they are going to share an update and I would rather it come from me. "Ben is still on a ventilator and ecmo to support him while he heals. There are good days and bad, but on the good, they have been able to wean his sedation enough for him to open his eyes and squeeze hands. His body can't handle coming off sedation too much yet. I'm still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for a lung transplant." Both Amy and Ben married in 2010 and the pair have three children together with two daughters, Alex and Andy, and a son called Ozzi. She continued: "Please pray for his continued healing, and if transplant is the solution, that he can get on the list quickly and easily. I know transplants are such a blessing and I'm overwhelmed at the thought of him receiving a gift like that. No one would take better care of that gift than Ben. "Thank you for every message and all of the support. Despite this awful situation, I'm feeling so blessed by the community we're surrounded by. Give your loved ones a hug today and make sure you're prepared (for) situations like this. Ben is the healthiest guy I know and I never could have expected this." The emotional update comes just hours after wrestling journalist Pat Mineo had claimed that Askren was making progress, but also that challenges still remained. He had said: "All the prayers and medical support Ben Askren has been receiving is working! He was able to open his eyes and squeeze hands, showing some responsiveness. He is still expected to need a lung transplant, but some of his levels are improving and he is fighting like a Champ! Keep praying for Ben Askren." During the peak of his powers, the American was considered one of the top welterweights in the sport after he won titles in both Bellator and ONE Championship. He eventually joined the UFC in 2019 and submitted former champion Robbie Lawler on his promotional debut. However, he would then go on to lose back-to-back fights against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. Just a few weeks after the Maia fight, Askren announced his retirement from MMA, but it was not long before he eventually returned to combat sports after agreeing to fight Jake Paul in the boxing ring. The 40-year old would go on to suffer a knockout defeat in the first round in what was his only fight inside the squared-circle.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Suicide pod creator blasted over 'kill switch' for those with certain condition
Dr Philip Nitschke, who helped end an American woman's life in Switzerland last year with his 'suicide pod', has now come up with a "chilling" device allowing people with dementia to set their future death The controversial creator of Sarco's "suicide pod" has been branded "Dr Death" after his latest "chilling" invention would allow dementia patients to activate a "killer switch". Dr Philip Nitschke helped end an American woman's life in Switzerland last year after she pressed a button to fill the chamber with nitrogen gas, causing fatal hypoxia. The campaigner has now come up with a "chilling" device allowing people with dementia to set their future death by pressing a "killer switch." The mechanism, which would be placed in the leg or stomach, would emit a beeping sound and vibrate as a reminder, but failure to reset it would release a lethal substance. While the implantation process is described as "relatively simple", it still needs nursing assistance and local anesthesia. These "chilling" propositions have met with stern opposition from Care Not Killing, which comprises an alliance of disability and human rights organisations, medical professionals, and religious groups, all of whom have labelled the advocate "Dr Death". Alistair Thompson, a spokesperson for Care Not Killing, commented: 'This is yet another chilling development from Dr Death who, brought us the personalised gas chamber. Not content with advocating for killing vulnerable and terminally ill adults, he has turned his attention to those with neurodegenerative conditions. "But we should not be surprised, because when a society decides that some lives are worthless then others and should be ended, this is the slippery slope you quickly go down. Indeed, in every jurisdiction that has legalised assisted suicide or euthanasia, over time those eligible for death have increased. In the US state of Oregon the model for the bill being discussed in Parliament today, terminal conditions including eating disorders such as anorexia and even diabetes. "In Canada, you can be euthanised for mental health conditions such as depression. While in Belgium and the Netherlands, children and even disabled babies can have their lives ended, even without their consent. At a time when the NHS is in crisis and when the UK's palliative care system is broken, with one in five hospices being forced to make cuts, we need to focus on fixing this. In short, we need more care, not killing.' This "dementia dilemma" strategy is designed to assist people with the condition who worry about the inevitable decline of their mental faculties over time, preventing them from pursuing assisted dying when they believe they might need it. The inventor acknowledges that "some doctors and nurses" may object to assisting with the procedure, yet he claims that many are in favour of the concept. Dr Philip Nitschke defended his proposal claiming it will help "many people" for whom "suicide assistance becomes "unavailable." He told The Mirror: "In all countries with end of life legislation in place, there is a mandatory requirement that the person seeking suicide assistance must have 'mental capacity', for example, they must know what they are doing. This must be confirmed before access to suicide assistance can be granted, and this is traditionally assessed by psychiatric review. "In the situation where there is the onset of dementia, mental capacity will be lost, and access to suicide assistance becomes unavailable. Many people with an early diagnosis of the onset of a degenerative disease fear losing capacity, losing access to lawful help to die, and being condemned to live on in a demented state. They have to decide to die early, while they still have capacity, or risk leaving it too late and missing the chance. This is the 'dementia dilemma'." The campaigner explained the switch can be set for any period up to two years before releasing a lethal dose into the patient's body. He added: "The embedded processor has an internal clock that can be set to activate after a preset time. This can be set for any period up to two years. At the end of the preset time, the device will beep and vibrate periodically for some days, to alert the holder that it needs to be reset, or it will release the preset loaded drug into the wearers body." The specialist explained that individuals with an initial diagnosis of dementia "can have the switch embedded into their leg or abdomen and set it for some future date." "When the preset date is reached, warning is given to the wearer so that the timer can be reset. If this is not done ..because the wearer has become so affected by dementia that they have lost capacity and are no longer aware of the switch or what it does, or how to reset it, it will activate. Activation then allows the release of the loaded lethal drug into the body." The inventor is optimistic that the implant will be available for approximately £9,000, and a prototype could potentially be ready for initial testing within the year. He added: "We are currently sourcing components identified by the Iranian designer Darab Jafary. We hope to have a prototype for preliminary testing within the year. I plan to do detailed testing of the device loaded with only sterile will be no risk, but accuracy of the timer, reliability of power supply, monitoring can all be tested safely this way." The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@ or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
Metro
19 hours ago
- Metro
Urgent recall of dark chocolate almonds over 'life-threatening' health risk
Dark chocolate-covered almonds have been recalled in the US because they may contain another nut not declared on labels. The American supermarket chain Meijer is recalling some packages of its Frederik's Dark Chocolate Almonds as they could also contain dark chocolate-covered cashews. 'People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashews run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,' states an announcement published Monday by the nation's agency ensuring food, drugs and products are safe for the public. The affected almonds came in black stand-up pouches with sell by dates of May 7, 2026, or May 28, 2026, and eight-count, 1.5-ounce multi-pack boxes with the sell by date of May 5, 2026. They were sold at Meijer stores in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Meijer initiated the recall after being notified of the issue by a customer. There have not been any reports of customers becoming sick from eating the almonds. Customers who are allergic or sensitive to cashews should return the item at any Meijer store for a full refund. Anyone with health concerns should contact a doctor, and those with questions on the recall should reach out to the supermarket chain. More Trending Meijer is a family-operated and privately owned company with more than 500 grocery stores and supercenters across the Midwest. 'As the pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, more than 70,000 Meijer team members work hard to deliver a friendly, seamless in-store and online shopping experience featuring an assortment of fresh foods, high-quality apparel, household essentials, and health and wellness products and services,' states the company's advisory shared by the US Food and Drug Administration. It comes nearly two weeks after another grocery chain, ALDI, recalled its Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream because they could contain undeclared milk. The sweet treat was sent to 13 states. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Decriminalisation of abortion takes one step closer after historic vote MORE: Trump says US won't assassinate Iran's leader 'for now' as he abruptly leaves G7 MORE: Now your phone can tell if you have depression using the selfie camera
