Harleen Sethi on how acne and PCOD affected her: Aapki selfesteem ko 100% hit hota hai
Harleen Sethi, known for her performances in web series such as Broken But Beautiful, Kohrra and The Test Case, says that an intense spell of face acne all but shattered her confidence as a teenager. It wasn’t until she turned 21 that she got the correct diagnosis — polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD).
“Since the age of 15, every time I have gone to a new dermatologist, I’ve broken down,” says Sethi, adding, “Skin became such a sensitive topic for me. Every time I would look at women on screen, it wasn’t so much about beauty as it was about their flawless skin. Aapki selfesteem ko 100% hit hota hai. You start thinking of yourself as not good or worthy enough.” PCOD brought along other symptoms that often overlooked by the society. “Because of insulin resistance, you also develop pockets of fat on your body, which don’t go away easily. That was a visible symptom,” says Sethi. The invisible symptom of the hormonal disorder was “emotional irregularity”. Sethi tells us, “When PMS — usually very severe — starts, you don’t realise for the first two-three days why you are so irritable but when you start crying, it hits you.”
It was her will to never give up that helped Sethi understand her body and align it with her profession — acting, which can be very erratic in nature. “Emotionally, it has been a very tough journey. What also saved me was generally my attitude towards life. I just never stopped. I know a lot of women with PCOD and issues with pimples who wouldn’t step out of the house. Ultimately, I never let that bring me down.”