Daisy Ridley Opens up About Endometriosis in Instagram Post

At 15 I was diagnosed with endometriosis. One laparoscopy, many consultations and 8 years down the line, pain was back (more mild this time!) and my skin was THE WORST. I’ve tried everything: products, antibiotics, more products, more antibiotics) and all that did was left my body in a bit of a mess. Finally found out I have polycycstic ovaries and that’s why it’s bad. I can safely say feeling so self conscious has left my confidence in tatters. I hate wearing make up but I currently don’t want to leave the house without it on. HOWEVER PROGRESS IS BEING MADE! (With some help from a dermatologist and cutting out dairy (waah, except for spontaneous ice creams) and cutting down sugar (bigger waah but gotta do what you’ve gotta do)). Finally. Finally. (Throughout all this I’ve only had people being wonderful and encouraging and occasionally making me realise I’m being ridiculous and there’s more to life)… My point is, to any of you who are suffering with anything, go to a doctor; pay for a specialist; get your hormones tested, get allergy testing; keep on top of how your body is feeling and don’t worry about sounding like a hypochondriac. From your head to the tips of your toes we only have one body, let us all make sure ours our working in tip top condition, and take help if it’s needed. #wasthispostlongenough #maybethesehashtagscanbulkitupabit #alsohowmanybracketsdoesonewomanneed #ifyourereadingthisiapplaudyou #thisisaclaymaskincaseyourewondering

A photo posted by @daisyridley on Jun 9, 2016 at 10:25am PDT

In a recent Instagram post, Daisy Ridley shared a photo of herself with a clay mask and discussed being diagnosed with endometriosis at 15, dealing with painful consultations and skin problems, and discovering that she has polycystic ovaries. “I can safely say feeling so self conscious has left my confidence in tatters,” she writes, “HOWEVER PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.” 

At the end of the post, Ridley says her point “is to any of you who are suffering with anything, go to a doctor” and “we only have one body, let us all make sure ours [are] working in tip top condition, and take help if it’s needed.”

Endometriosis (a chronic condition when tissue that should grow inside the uterus grows elsewhere like the ovaries or fallopian tubes) along with other conditions that affects individuals with uteruses like dysmenorrhea, are challenging to deal with because reproductive health is often difficult to talk about and because they often aren’t taken seriously as a public health issue. Ridley using her platform to talk about her body and to encourage others to take of their bodies by seeking medical help if they need it is a really awesome thing to do. #ifyourereadingthisiapplaudyou, Ridley.

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