Selena Gomez Opens Up About Her Struggle With Lupus to Ellen DeGeneres

By
This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors.

If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page.

Selena Gomez is one tough cookie.

The singer made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, where she revealed more details about her battle with lupus and undergoing chemotherapy, which forced her to take a break from making music.


WATCH: What Is Lupus & Why Would Selena Gomez Get Chemo for It?

"I read in Billboard magazine today that you have been struggling with, you were diagnosed with lupus, and that you went through chemo?" DeGeneres asks the 23-year-old.

Gomez then tells her that she found out she had the disease three years ago. Up until now, the former Disney star had kept her condition a secret. She took a break from music at the end of 2013, and in January 2014, checked herself into an Arizona rehab facility called The Meadows, citing the need to "spend some time on myself."

"I think it was just very complicated because I didn't understand and then that was something that I did want to keep private until my whole life suddenly wasn't private," Gomez says. "So, it was my moment. I'm really honestly able to relate to people and I get it."


WATCH: Selena Gomez Opens Up About Having Lupus

The "Good For You" singer then explains that lupus is an autoimmune disease, one that she'll have to live with forever.

"It's kind of one of those situations. You just have to take care of yourself," she says.

Even though she'll have to deal with the disease for the rest of her life, Gomez tells DeGeneres that right now she's doing great, which was followed by a deserving applause from the audience.

The Lupus Foundation of America describes lupus as a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body, including skin, joints and organs. With lupus, the body can't tell the difference between good proteins, called antibodies, that protect the body from foreign invaders, like viruses, bacteria and germs. Autoantibodies end up attacking and destroying healthy tissue, leading to inflammation, pain and damage. More than 90 percent of the 1.5 million Americans living with lupus are women between the ages of 15 and 45, according to the organization Lupus LA. 


NEWS: Selena Gomez Drops Sexy New Single 'Me & The Rhythm'

Gomez is proving, however, that nothing -- not even lupus -- can bring her down. The Texas-born star has been working harder than ever on herself and her career.
Later on in the show, Gomez performed her new hit, "Same Old Love," off her Revival album, which was released on Friday. The pop star will be heading out on tour next spring.

In excitement of the release, Gomez took to Instagram to share a pic from her celebration, complete with balloons spelling out the album's title.

"The roomie/bae loves me (just for us)," she captioned the pic. "I'm FREAKING OUT. The album is out!!!! Revival!!!!"


NEWS: Selena Gomez Shares 'Revival' Album Track List

She also shared the news on Twitter, writing, "What I've learned is so vital More than just survival This is my #REVIVAL."

In the Billboard interview DeGeneres refers to, Gomez explains to the mag that the time she took away from her career was to focus on her health. For more on the interview and Gomez's private fight with lupus, watch the video below.