14 DAY TRIAL // When pop singer Selena Gomez announced on December 19 that she was canceling her Australian tour dates, many fans felt cheated and critics thought she just couldn't hack it playing big venues. Now, reports are surfacing that the 21-year-old is privately battling a systemic autoimmune disease called Lupus.
Popdust reported first on the singer's possible reason of cancellation, which was more than the announced break to take time for herself. In a sense, it was true, but it was only part of the truth. A source close to Selena claims that the singer has Lupus and she's been struggling with the effects of the disease since her tour started.
“Selena has been going full throttle the past few years and her Lupus is really catching up with her right now,” the insider confessed. “She knows that she needs to take some time to address the disease and look after herself better if she wants to live a full and healthy life.”
Lupus is actually a very serious disease which, if left untreated, can result in death. It's been described as a systemic autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissues. Most commonly, this results in rashes and inflammation in tissues and joints.
The most common side effects are face rashes, joint pain, fatigue, fever, and sometimes even loss of cognitive skills. It's called Lupus because, when it was first documented in the 18th century, it was thought to be caused by wolf bites (lupus is Latin for wolf). The rashes associated with the disease sometimes can be similar to bite marks.
The source also revealed that Selena suffered multiple “flares” recently, which made her take some time off. Her reps have refused to comment on the matter thus far, meaning that at this point it's still unconfirmed.
Among other celebrities that have been diagnosed with Lupus are Toni Braxton, Seal, and Nick Cannon, as well as the former King of Pop, Michael Jackson.