Michelle Visage, 50, spoke out about her struggle with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, telling her 1.3 million Instagram followers she had finally undergone another biopsy after 16 years. “I’m sharing this with you because we have to be our own health advocates,” the Strictly Come Dancing star said. “Those that know me and listen to the podcast, know my struggles with Hashimoto’s for the past 20 years. It’s had been 16 years since I had a biopsy because no one told me I needed to get another.”

The thyroid produces hormones that coordinate many of the body’s functions and leaving the disease unchecked could result in heart problems, birth defects, and other life-threatening conditions.

Visage explained: “Over the last two years my body was so inflamed from my breast implant illness that my thyroid nodule doubled in size.

It was time for another biopsy. I am lucky, yes, but I’ll never with that long again. Implants out, thyroid benign, on to dancing and healing!”

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease. The disorder involves the immune system which turns against the body’s own tissues.

The disease is a condition in which the immune system attacks the thyroid which is a small gland at the base of the neck below the Adam’s apple.

The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system, which produces hormones that coordinate many of the body’s functions.

The disease primarily affects middle-aged women but can also occur in men and women of any age and in children. Symptoms of Hashimoto might not be noticeable at first.

The signs are mainly having an underachieve thyroid gland. Other symptoms include feeling sluggish, constipated, having pale or dry skin, a puffy face, brittle nails, hair loss, muscle aches, joint pain, depression, and memory loss.

You should speak with your GP if you develop tiredness for no reason, dry skin, and have a puffy face.

Although Michelle’s doctors and surgeons never confirmed a connection between her Hashimoto’s symptoms and her breast implants, she chose to have explant surgery earlier this year and has become a vocal advocate for raising awareness of BII.

“If you think about it.

“Your immune system fights off invaders, and the biggest invaders in my body are two giant blobs of silicone,” she later told PEOPLE.

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