Keke Palmer Says Pregnancy Is the ‘Cure’ to Her Adult Acne

Find out if pregnancy really impacts acne, according to experts.

Keke Palmer may have found the secret to clearing her acne.

In a new video posted on Instagram, the 29-year-old actress claims that being pregnant has dramatically cleared up her acne-prone skin. "I found the cure to acne!" reads a text bubble displayed over the video.

"I know you can't see right now because I got a face full of makeup on, but let's really get into it," says Palmer in the clip. "I want you to see that everything right here is extremely flat. What that means is — even with the discoloration that we're going to get to — there's no more of the bumps."

The Nope star has been candid about her struggles with acne in the past, noting that her adult acne is caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in previous Instagram posts. ICYDK, PCOS is a hormonal disorder that may cause irregular periods and excess production of sex hormones called androgens, according to the Mayo Clinic. Too much androgen may cause excess facial and body hair and severe acne.

The supposed "cure" to her acne now? Pregnancy. "I'm here to let y'all know I found the secret to clearing up my acne and guess what it is?" she teases. "You need to get knocked up. Period. Point blank."

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It seems as though she's really experiencing that pregnancy "glow" that so many rave about. "I need you know it ain't never laid flat like this," continues Palmer in the Instagram video. "Call me Keke Wyatt 'cause I'm about to be pregnant for the rest of my life," she jokes, referring to the R&B singer-songwriter Keke Wyatt, who has 11 children.

"I’m not lying!" she writes in the caption, inviting followers to look at her Instagram Story to see what her skin looks like without makeup. "The way my baby already looking out for me??"

Based on her video, pregnancy seems to agree with Palmer's skin, but can being pregnant really clear acne?

It turns out, that pregnancy "glow" is a real thing attributed to an increase in blood flow and oil production, according to Laura Purdy, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician and the chief medical officer of Wisp.

"Pregnancy causes significant hormonal changes within the body and this can often affect your skin," adds Suneel Chilukuri, M.D., F.A.A.D., F.A.C.M.S. "During a single pregnancy, more estrogen [a sex hormone] is produced than is produced in an entire lifetime when not pregnant. As a result, many pregnant people have luminous, glowing skin." However this change in hormones can also lead to acne and hyperpigmentation, he explains.

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"It’s actually far more common for pregnancy to increase acne due to heightened oil production and androgen levels, especially later on in pregnancy," says Dr. Purdy. Of course, everyone is different, stress both experts.

"Each pregnant person and [their] body's reaction to the changes that occur during pregnancy is different," says Dr. Chilukuri. Palmer's recent Instagram post "demonstrates that every pregnancy, and experience with acne during pregnancy, is unique," adds Dr. Purdy.

That said, changes in skin that happen during pregnancy will likely return to normal after pregnancy due to falling hormone levels and a decrease in oil production, explains Dr. Purdy. "Unfortunately, as estrogen levels decline and testosterone levels increase postpartum, you can have acne flares," says Dr. Chilukuri.

As always, if you have specific questions about your health or skin care during pregnancy, it's best to speak with your physician for individualized care.