(NewsNation) — Former “Saturday Night Live” comedian Kate McKinnon revealed she has a “gross” but not dangerous condition in her mouth.
McKinnon, 41, was featured in People Magazine’s “One Last Thing” and was asked what the last screenshot or picture she took on her phone was.
“I took a photo of my tongue and sent it to an actor friend of mine,” McKinnon said. “We both have the same medical condition. It’s called ‘geographic tongue.’ Your tongue sheds in patches and looks like an atlas, hence the name ‘geographic tongue.'”
What is ‘geographic tongue’?
“Geographic tongue” is a harmless but inflammatory condition of the tongue that affects its surface, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The tongue usually is covered with tiny, pinkish-white bumps called papillae,” according to the clinic. “With Geographic Tongue, patches on the surface of the tongue are missing papillae. These patches are smooth and red, often with slightly raised borders.”
Mayo Clinic said that the condition doesn’t cause any health issues but can cause tongue pain.
Kate McKinnon pokes fun at condition
McKinnon is taking the condition in stride and even jokes about having geographic tongue.
“It’s gross,” she said. “We brag about how geographic we are on any given day. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying this in a magazine.”