Simone Biles has opened up about a painful health battle with chronic skin conditions, just months after revealing she ‘almost died’ during a medical emergency.
The seven-time Olympic gold medalist revealed that she spent over two years quietly dealing with severe itching and flaking skin before receiving a formal diagnosis.
Speaking to TODAY, the 29-year-old admitted the condition became so unbearable during competition prep that she found herself ‘standing at the chalk bucket, just itching until I’m bleeding.’
Doctors finally diagnosed Biles with two separate inflammatory skin conditions: eczema on her arms and seborrheic dermatitis across her scalp.
‘Obviously, (I have) trusted professionals around me and great, great doctors, so I’m doing a lot better,’ Biles explained. ‘It’s still an interesting road, but I am doing a lot better.’
Her skin journey began roughly two years ago when red, itchy patches first surfaced on her scalp and arms.
Simone Biles has opened up about a painful health battle with chronic skin conditions
The seven-time Olympic gold medalist revealed that she spent over two years quietly dealing with severe itching and flaking skin before receiving a formal diagnosis
‘I was really self-conscious of it at first, so I kind of brushed it to the side,’ Biles said.
Ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she captured three golds and a silver, Biles addressed the flaking on TikTok to get ahead of public scrutiny.
‘If people noticed on the TV, I didn’t want them to say something before me,’ she said. ‘So I was like, I have to address this because you couldn’t just avoid it. If they zoomed in, you could probably see it.’
Following the Games, having to repeatedly explain her scalp to new hair and makeup crews at photo shoots took a heavy emotional toll.
‘That’s when I felt it was the worst,’ she admitted. ‘At first I was really embarrassed and ashamed.’
Biles and her personal stylist initially experimented with over-the-counter products and oils without success, before she finally consulted a dermatologist while being seen for a ‘dent’ in her arm.
She has since regained control of the condition using prescription treatments, applying foam medication for her scalp and a cream for her arms.
The gymnastics legend also revealed she helped husband and NFL safety Jonathan Owens recognize his own symptoms, after initially fearing she had passed the non-contagious condition to him.
Biles said earlier in June that she nearly died due to a mystery medical emergency
Biles has not disclosed the details surrounding that particular health scare
‘Like I was in denial, he was in denial,’ Biles said. ‘I think I have motivated him in some form, and he’s like, ‘Okay, this is a normal thing. A lot of people have it.”
The revelations come shortly after Biles shared that she was hospitalized earlier this year following a severe health scare she described as ‘almost dying.’
Biles also recently revealed that three masked intruders broke into her Chicago home and stole her luxurious Porsche.
The legendary Team USA gymnast dropped the bombshell news during a TikTok video this week. It remains unclear when the burglary happened or if the police have made any arrests but Biles confirmed the car was recovered.
‘Feel like I need a new car because during our last few months in Chicago, three men in masks came to our house and stole my Porsche,’ she said.
‘Stole the GTS. But that’s another story. If you guys want to know, I’ll do a story time on that.’
