Marsai Martin shared an update about her health with fans on Instagram over the weekend. The 18-year-old actress revealed she recently had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst Saturday, Dec. 10. The news was shared on her Instagram story in a short video, captured by The Shade Room. It shows a doctor pushing the ‘black-ish” star around on a hospital gurney.
“If u missed my Live, long story short I had surgery for my large ovarian cyst that gave me constant pain for 4+ years. I really don’t remember any of this shit cause of the anesthesia lol,” Martin wrote over the clip. “But I will say, I am very grateful to have family and educators by my side in support of this process.”
The “Little” star went on to explain why she felt compelled to share the news with the world. She said, “The only reason I’m sharing is so I can hopefully spread awareness and share my experience to the young women out there that may be going through the same thing or have difficult menstrual cycles. You are not alone, Listen to your body. It always shows you signs. Health is wealth.”
On Sunday, Dec. 11, Martin gave fans another update on her story that indicated she was fully recovered. Hollywood’s youngest executive producer shared a photo of herself getting her hair and makeup done while drinking a smoothie.
“Thank y’all for all the love. The procedure was 10 days ago, and I’m feeling fine,” Martin added. “I also appreciate the stories from folks that have been through the same thing! but I’m back, and I’m betta.”
Fans in The Shade Room’s comments section wrote get-well messages and prayers to Martin. However, a vast majority of the women commentators who had the same surgery began sharing their personal experiences.
“That cyst pain is no joke it was the worst pain I ever experienced !!” wrote “Love and Hip Hop: Miami” star Joy Young. “Mine was the size of a grapefruit!! Thank god for those doctors that removed mine. hopefully, I never experience that again.”
A second individual said, “More awareness needs to be brought to PCOS, especially in the black and brown communities it’s becoming too frequent that more and more of us are battling this, and some are dealing with this too young.”
One final social media user added, “The real epidemic is the amount of girls and women enduring cysts/fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS on a daily basis and still expected to function normally. My first surgery was at 21 to remove cysts, only to find out they were there due to endometriosis. I’m sorry she has had to deal with it this long but hopefully she can help others out!”
The probability of Black women developing an ovarian cyst reportedly is much more common than other races. They “are fluid-filled sacs that form in or on one your ovaries,” according to the Black Women’s Health Imperative.
The Black Women’s Health Imperative website reports that most women develop these cysts at various times in their lives, noting that some are usually harmless. However, a painful period could be the first of many symptoms of conditions that could led to life-long issues for a woman’s reproductive system. Some of the most common among Black women are PCOS, uterine fibroids and endometriosis.
PCOS occurs when a woman’s ovaries produce more male hormones than female hormones. It can cause hair thinning, weight gain, bad acne and possible infertility. Birth control pills will help regulate a woman’s period schedule and decrease the effect of symptoms.
BWHI’s research also shows that Black women with PCOS experience hirsutism, which is excessive hair growth in areas on the face, body, chest and stomach. There’s also a high risk of being diagnosed with a combination of conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.. Early diagnosis is recommended to avoid or reduce any possible life-long effects.
Uterine fibroids reportedly affect 80 percent of America’s Black women. Former “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams has publicly opened up about her personal battle with large fibroids she discovered after a miscarriage and while pregnant with her daughter. In doing her own research, the reality star said she learned that “depending on the size of them, they can outgrow your fetus.”
Actress and mom of two Tia Mowry has also shared details about her struggle with infertility after her endometriosis diagnosis. It’s a common gynecological condition involving the lining of the uterus growing outside the uterus. It affects more than 11 percent of women in America between the ages of 15 and 44. “However, Black women are more likely to be misdiagnosed, with providers thinking pain is due to something else,” according to the BWHI website.
