Supermodel Barbara Palvin was recently diagnosed with endometriosis.
“Hi guys, it’s been a while! Just a little update and a few thoughts for those out there who could relate to what I’m about to share,” Palvin, 31, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 17. “For some years now, I’ve been dealing with the difficulties that can come with my periods. Fatigue, severe pain, heavy and irregular flow, sleepless nights on the bathroom floor. I thought this was just how it works for me. But recently, I’ve been advised to seek out an endometriosis specialist to see whether my symptoms are caused by that.”
She added, “I’ve been going to checkups to my gynecologist every year, I thought if I had endometriosis, I would have known about it by now, but as it turns out, endometriosis can’t be diagnosed with general examinations.”
After Palvin visited a medical specialist, she received an official endometriosis diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. The chronic condition can often cause severe pelvic pain, infertility and other health-related issues.)
Olivia Culpo, Julianne Hough and more stars have become fierce advocates for women’s health — especially when it comes to endometriosis. Endometriosis causes abnormal tissue growth in and around the uterus, and is one of the leading causes of infertility in women. The condition occurs in as many as 1 in 10 women, according to […]
“Three months later, I got operated on,” Palvin explained of her recent surgery to treat her condition. “Since then, I finally experienced a period that was easier, and now I know the difference. If you suspect that you could have endometriosis, I encourage you to find out. It helped me a lot, and I’m grateful I did it.”
She continued, “Early diagnosis and treatment are very important to prevent long-term complications, and now I’m more mindful about my body to act fast if needed. That’s also why I took the past 3 months to rest and fully heal.”
Palvin further revealed that she was “excited about this new chapter” in her life and “ready to get back to work.”
In addition to her health update, Palvin also shared a handful of photos from her social media hiatus, including hospital selfies and post-op outings with husband Dylan Sprouse. Palvin and Sprouse, 33, have been together since 2018 and tied the knot in 2023.
Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse Courtesy of Barbara Palvin/Instagram
“In general, [marriage has] taught me a lot of patience and communication. Obviously, that’s the cliché, that people say communication is key, but it really is,” Sprouse told Us Weekly earlier this month. “It’s also just understanding you’re both human and you both do things.”
He continued, “For most people’s lives, until they’re in a really serious relationship, they’re used to being in survival mode, which is, ‘How do I survive independently and live?’ And then when you are in a committed relationship and you’re married, you have to rewire yourself to be like, ‘Oh, I’m fighting for two people. And everything I think of now is what we do together.’”