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Salma Hayek's acne caused 'severe depression'

Apr 2, 2012, 4:01 GMT

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek's acne plunged her into 'severe depression'.

The 'Grown Ups' actress admits she felt so overweight and spotty when she was 25 that she couldn't bear to be seen in public.

She said: 'I had acne. And this acne was so bad, it sent me into a severe, severe depression. Like I couldn't leave the house. I'd wake up in the morning and lie there and touch my face before I got up, just to prepare myself to look in the mirror!

'The next stage with that sort of depression is food: too little, or too much. Guess what I did? I mean, I was fat and broken out, I couldn't leave the house and I couldn't pay the rent!'

But Salma, 45, was saved from herself by director Alfonso Cuarón - who encouraged her to get help.

She explained: 'He did not play it down, he did not try to say, 'Oh you look fine'. He said, 'You can't do this to yourself', and taught me to meditate, relax. I got myself back together.'

Now spot-free, the mother-of-one admits she still enjoys eating - so much so that she constantly feels paranoid about what other people will think.

She said: 'I like to eat. I'm always on the edge of how much can I eat without looking too - you know. If I eat something salty, it makes me want something sweet. I eat something sweet, then I want salty. And exercise is not my thing, though I do it.'

Salma wishes she had the 'discipline' of close friend Demi Moore, and believes it won't be long until the troubled actress - who recently completed a stint in rehab following her split from husband Ashton Kutcher - is back on form.

She told Lucky magazine: 'You watch, Demi will be back. She's an inspiration to all women.'