From Mamta Mohandas, Salman Khan to Selena Gomez: Hollywood and Bollywood stars who suffer from autoimmune and other illnesses

Several celebrities have revealed their struggles with auto-immune issues and other disorders, many of which are chronic. Most recently, Indian actor Mamta Mohandas, on Monday, revealed that she has been diagnosed with the autoimmune disease vitiligo. We take a look at other Hollywood and Bollywood stars who have shared their diagnoses publically.

The actress posted an unfiltered selfie and shared how she’s dealing with the setback Vitiligo -- an auto-immume disease -- is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. As always, Mamta - who’s known for her sunny and inspiring demeanour - broke the news in her signature spirited manner. “Dear sun [emokji], I embrace you now like I have never done before. So spotted, I am losing color. I rise even before you every morning, to see you glimmer you first ray through the haze. Give me all you’ve got ... for I will be indebted, here on out and forever by your grace,” said Mamta. She also posted a picture of her without any make-up, enjoying a cup of coffee. In the unfiltered images, you can spot the mild discolouration on her neck.

Varun Dhawan, who is well-known for his dance moves and energetic persona, recently revealed he suffers from vestibular hypofunction. A chronic condition with no cure, this condition affects the he inner ear which is responsible for maintaining body balance. Dizziness and vertigo are common symptoms. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Dhawan said, “I just shut down recently. I had a condition known as vestibular hypofunction, in which your balance basically goes out of whack. But I just pushed myself so hard.”

South Indian actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently informed her fans that she has been diagnosed with an auto immune condition called myositis and hopes to make a complete recovery very soon. Taking to Instagram, she wrote: “Your response to the ‘Yashodha’ trailer was overwhelming. It is this love and connection that I share with all of you, that gives me the strength to deal with the seemingly unending challenges that life throws at me.” She added: “A few months back I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis. I was hoping to share this after it had gone into remission. But it is taking a little longer than I hoped."

Disney alumna Selena Gomez suffers from lupus, an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system begins to attack itself. At one point, back in 2017, the disease took such a toll on the ‘Lose You To Love Me’ singer that she had to have a kidney transplant. Of course the ordeal also exacted a mental toll on the musician; in 2018, she told the American magazine ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ that she considers anxiety and depression an ongoing struggle.

Celebrated singer and actress Lady Gaga has a condition that causes heightened sensitivity to pain known as fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia, the US National Institute of Health defines, is a chronic disorder that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, as well as fatigue and trouble sleeping.

Salman Khan was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia in 2001, the actor revealed. Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also called tic douloureux, is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal or fifth cranial nerve. “I was suffering from this nerve problem called trigeminal neuralgia. So I couldn’t talk. Had to talk like that (speaking with his mouth slightly closed) and huge amount of pain,” he said at a launch event in Dubai in 2017.

Selma Blair, best known for her appearance in 'Legally Blonde' and 'Cruel Intentions', revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018. The central nervous system disease — which causes symptoms including fatigue, pain and coordination problems – is chronic and has no cure. The star walked the 2019 Oscar red carpet with the aid of a cane, which Blair said she ditched in 2022 after undergoing chemotherapy to manage the symptoms of the disease.

Model Gigi Hadid has talked about having Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and causes fatigue, hair loss and weight gain. However, for Hadid it resulted unintentionally dropped the pounds. She told Elle magazie: “I didn’t want to lose any more weight.”

Ashton Kutcher, Hollywood actor and angel investor, shared in an interview that he had a rare vasculitis disease involving inflammation of blood vessels. Like most of these conditions, vasculitis itself has no cure, but symptoms can be managed with early diagnosis and treatment.

Jared Leto was not formally diagnosed but the star felt his drastic weight changes for movie roles may have led to an attack of gout. Leto gained weight for his role as Mark David Chapman — John Lennon's assassin — for 'Chapter 27', and then lost it all. "I don't know if it was gout — but I had a definite problem with my feet," Leto told the Daily News. Gout is a form of arthritis that causes swollen and stiff joints.

Star of the iconic 'Back to the Future' movies, Hollywood star Michael J Fox spoke about how Parkinson’s disease has impacted his acting career in in November 2020. The neurodegenerative disorder can cause severe cognitive issues, and the 61-year-old actor detailed how his struggles with the condition have affected his career. In his memoir, Fox wrote that “not being able to speak reliably is a game-breaker for an actor,” the Times reported. He said, “Absent a chemical intervention, Parkinson’s will render me frozen, immobile, stone-faced, and mute — entirely at the mercy of my environment. For someone for whom motion equals emotion, vibrance and relevance, it’s a lesson in humility.”