Working on Body Image Through Health Challenges
- Bebe Rexha, 33, says her hormone disorder PCOS has affected her body image particularly because of its impact on her weight. And new research suggests she’s not alone.
- According to Dr. Punith Kempegowda of the University of Birmingham in England, doctors should acknowledge and validate women’s body image concerns with PCOS. Doing so can help make sure they get the full care they need.
- PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, occurs when a woman’s ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than usual which causes cysts (fluid-filled sacs) to grow on the ovaries, according to Medline Plus.
- Body image can be a particular struggle for people dealing with a health battle. Whether you are living with PCOS or cancer, it’s important to know there are ways to help improve your relationship with your body.
- Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, says it can help to spend time in front of the mirror and focus on the parts of your body that you love.
- One breast cancer survivor told us her cancer journey allowed her to see that "femininity is a state of mind" and not tied to her physical body.
Bleta Rexha, an American singer-songwriter professionally known as Bebe Rexha, recently went on Gayle King's SiriusXM show "Gayle King in the House" to talk about her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how it has affected her body image.
Read MoreResearch findings presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society show that other women with PCOS are dealing with a similar struggle.
According to Dr. Punith Kempegowda of the University of Birmingham in England, significantly more women with PCOS struggled with several factors playing into body image and self-esteem. That’s why he thinks clinicians should make a point to address body image concerns with their PCOS patients.
Taking Care of Your Mental Health
“Most women, at least in my consultations, do not need to be referred to a psychologist,” he told MedPage Today. “They need to be acknowledged and they need to be provided help, [starting with] nonpharmacological treatment. There are medicines that can work too, depends on which one we’re talking about. If we’re talking about weight being the predominant factor causing the body image concerns, there are weight-loss medicines we can consider, and if it’s excess hair, there are [other] medicines.
“But first step is acknowledging it, supporting, and listening to what they think is needed, and despite all the best measures if it’s not working, then we start looking at medicines.”
Learning About PCOS
PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, occurs when a woman’s ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than usual, which causes cysts (fluid-filled sacs) to grow on the ovaries, according to Medline Plus.
Symptoms of PCOS can vary but may include:
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Infertility
- Pelvic pain
- Excess hair growth on places like the face, chest, stomach and/or thighs
- Weight gain
- Oily skin or acne
- Thickening of the skin in patches
There is currently no curative treatment for PCOS, but things like diet, exercise and medicines can help control symptoms.
Does PCOS Lead to Cancer?
According to Medline Plus, women with PCOS are at higher risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and high blood pressure. But many people also wonder if PCOS can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer.
The answer to that question is complex, and the National Institutes of Health says there is still much to learn.
“PCOS increases the risk of some types of cancer,” the NIH states. “For instance, some research has shown that risk of cancer of the endometrium, the inside lining of the uterus, may be higher for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than it is for women without PCOS. Irregular periods, or a lack of periods, can cause the endometrium to build up and become thick. This thickening can lead to endometrial cancer.
“Data on links between breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and PCOS are limited. While some small studies have suggested that a lack of ovulation, as occurs with PCOS, is linked with an increased risk of breast cancer, other studies have not shown an association.
“While some research has shown more than a doubling of the risk of ovarian cancer in women with PCOS, scientists have not confirmed these links in large population studies, and further studies hint that women with PCOS may have a lower risk of ovarian cancer.
“Therefore, any associations between breast or ovarian cancers and PCOS remain inconclusive.”
Improving Body Image
Struggling with body image is not uncommon, especially for so many people dealing with health challenges, including cancer.
And it’s important you try to work on how you view your body because it can positively impact your emotional and physical wellbeing as a whole.
My Confidence Was Destroyed: Dealing With Body Image During Cancer Treatment
Dr. Marianna Strongin, a New York-based licensed clinical psychologist, says spending time in front of the mirror can help with body image.
Although “research has found that when looking in the mirror we are more likely to focus on the parts of our body we are dissatisfied with” which can cause “a negative self-view and lower self- esteem,” it’s important to look at the parts of your body that you love and the parts of your body that you don’t.
Eventually, Dr. Strongin says, doing so can help you create a more accepting relationship with yourself.
“Body image is both the mental picture that you have of your body and the way you feel about your body when you look in a mirror,” she said.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body.”
Celebrity Stylist Ann Caruso on Beauty and Femininity After Cancer
Whether you are living with PCOS or not, it’s important to know you’re not alone if you’re having a hard time with how you view your body after receiving a diagnosis or going through treatment.
Celebrity stylist Ann Caruso, for instance, previously opened up to SurvivorNet about how she was never the same after her 12 breast cancer surgeries.
"You're not the same carefree person that you once were, and it was very hard for me to look at myself every day," Caruso said. "It was like I was a totally different person and didn't fit into any of my clothes for so long."
But as time went on, Caruso said the expereince helped her redefine femininity and body image as she knew it.
"Femininity is a state of mind," Caruso said. "And I think that's something that we have to remind ourselves."
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
