Inside Emma Chamberlain's 'life changing' diagnosis after stranger spotted symptom at hair salon

YouTube sensation Emma Chamberlain is renowned for her honest revelations online, from tackling anxiety issues right through to her fashion tips.

She rocketed to stardom on the platform with a distinctive vlogging approach that became widely copied, and she is now regarded as one of the globe's most successful YouTubers. She commands an impressive 12.1 million subscribers on her main channel and a further 14.7m on Instagram.

Whilst the 24-year-old doesn't hesitate to address challenging subjects in her vlogs, she recently revealed to followers that she had been battling her own private health struggle, without realising precisely what she was confronting.

In an extraordinary turn of events, it was during a trip to the hair salon that she encountered someone who recognised symptoms of an underlying condition and she says the encounter was transformative, reports OK!

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In a video uploaded back in April this year, she told fans: "I got diagnosed with PCOS at the hair salon. 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?'

"I was like, 'I don't know. My mom has PCOS. She has PCOS and endometriosis and she's had a lot of challenges,'" the influencer continued, adding: "And she was like, 'I think you have PCOS.'"

The stranger's observation about her acne led to a life-changing diagnosis for Chamberlain, who recalled: "Turns out she was an OBGYN and she diagnosed me with PCOS [...] It's really changed my life, to be honest."

Polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, is a condition that affects the functioning of the ovaries. The NHS describes it as being characterised by irregular periods, excessive levels of male hormones or enlarged ovaries containing fluid-filled sacs.

Symptoms can include oily skin and acne, weight gain, thinning hair or irregular or absent periods. While the cause remains unknown, it can run in families.

During a chat with Vogue, Emma was quizzed about what had been most beneficial in managing her skin. She revealed: "Getting diagnosed with PCOS and getting put on medication that has helped my body regulate hormones.

"I would say my skin... I've done it all. I went on Accutane, I learned a lot about chemical exfoliants and repairing the moisture barrier. I have done the work."