Celebrities may choose to be in the public eye, but that doesn’t mean they need your opinion on their (supposed) health issues. In a January 22 episode of “Call her dad,” Amy Schumer explained how concerned internet commentators first took notice her “moon face” about a year ago (a potential sign of underlying health problems). “I was like, ‘OK everybody, relax,'” Schumer told Alex Cooper on the podcast. But then the doctors started weighing in. “They were like no, no, we think something is really going on. Like your face looks so crazy we think something’s up.”
This particular story has a happy ending, with the comments eventually leading Schumer to an (official) diagnosis. “I got these steroid injections, and it gave me this thing called Cushing’s syndrome“, she said. “I wouldn’t have known if the internet hadn’t come at me so hard.” Still, that doesn’t justify all the assumptions people made about her on social media — and unfortunately, it’s a pattern we see all too often.
A Facetuned profile picture does not make a medical degree.
Some bystanders would argue that their unsolicited health advice is justified because it may prove useful in the long run. But the vast majority of the time, the internet is still really, really bad at understanding the truth the complexity of most medical conditions. Another important point? Many people — including celebrities — don’t want to take health advice from anyone other than their own doctors. A Facetuned profile picture does not make a medical degree.
Of course, that doesn’t stop people from believing that they are always right. Look at the assumptions people made based on Chadwick Boseman’s appearance, even though he was privately dealing with colon cancer behind the scenes. Kate Middleton was another victim of rampant health speculation before she eventually shared her cancer diagnosis. That’s not to mention Selena Gomez, who often makes unwanted comments about her lupus diagnosisand Christina Applegate, who made a statement about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis ahead of the final season of “Dead to Me” in an effort to avoid further scrutiny and speculation about her health.
Ultimately, while it’s good to show support online, getting an (accurate) diagnosis is something that can only be done with the help of a healthcare professional. While you may think health-related comments are fine as long as they are well-intentioned, making assumptions about a person’s health (especially based on changes in their appearance) can actually do a lot more harm than good. Our take? If someone isn’t asking you for medical advice, they probably don’t want it — even if they’re celebrities.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is the assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of experience in professional journalism, and has previously worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie and Bustle Digital Group.
