She looks pretty perfect from where we are sitting, but former model Penny Lancaster has revealed she suffers from a condition that leaves her feeling pretty self-conscious.
Talking to the Loose Women panel during a segment about imperfections and insecurities, Rod Stewart’s missus opened up about hyperhidrosis.
Admitting it was the first time she had discussed the issues, the 45-year-old went on to explain how she has more sweat glands in her hands than the average person, and this causes them to become clammy when she is nervous or excited.
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She admitted: “I have hyperhidrosis, you can see a little shining hand going on. A lot of the time they’re bone dry and fine but it’s something to do with the nervous system – I’m not nervous – but even when I’m excited and looking forward to something.”
Diagnosed as a teen, Penny recalled having to take special measures to cope with the condition as a schoolgirl.
She added: “It started when I was a teenager and I was doing exams. I had to wear white cotton gloves because on a page a few lines below (where I was writing) would get damp.
“The doctor suggested electrotherapy or an operation to cut a vein under your arm, but then you could start sweating somewhere else… It’s one of those things I’ve learned to live with but you get embarrassed.”
Nowadays, Penny tries not to shake hands with people when she first meets them, in an attempt to conceal her condition.
She revealed: “That’s why I always go in (for a kiss) when I meet someone!”
The mum-of-two admitted to feeling self-conscious about it when she first started dating her rocker hubby, opening up about an incident in their early courtship: “When I first met Rod he wanted to get a manicure and the place he wanted to go to was shut, so I said I’d do it then thought, ‘Oh what have I just said?’… So I had the lights really low and he was like, ‘Are you sure you can see what you’re doing?’ I was terrified.”
The other ladies then discussed parts of their bodies that they disliked, and host Ruth Langsford said she believes her ears stick out and even contemplated surgery.
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Ruth, who is happily married to Eamonn Holmes, said: “I went to see a plastic surgeon in my Twenties. There were all these pictures of people with facial disfigurement who he had helped and I thought: “Ruth, get over yourself.”
Smart lady!