TOWIE star Demi Sims has shared an unfiltered snap of herself to reveal the true extent of living with a skin condition to her fans.
The former Towie star, 26, was diagnosed with vitiligo over ten years ago and has told how it impacted her self-confidence before she was able to be proud in her own skin.
Demi shared a recent picture of herself on a photoshoot, revealing white patches on her arms and chest.
She also posted one from her teenage years, showing patches on her face.
In a candid post, she told her followers: “After speaking on my stories about my vitiligo the other day a lot more people was asking me to speak about it more, the 2nd picture was when I was a young teenager and the first year I developed it, I was able to get rid of my forehead patches but everything else wanted to stay.
“I was really down that year as you can imagine, as this was over 10 years ago I thought I looked weird and it really took a toll on me mentally. As I got older some of my patches have grown as you can see on my neck it has got way bigger now, and you notice them way more in the summer when I’ve caught a tan.
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“I used to hate these patches whereas now I find them so me, I find them kinda edgy and cool, If someone offered me a treatment tomorrow that would get rid of them I hand on my heart would say No! P*** off!”
The reality star continued: “I owe a huge deal of respect and thank yous to the people who have always urged me to talk more about it and to love it, otherwise I would always shy away!”
She then reached out to her fans and said she hoped those in the same position as her would find comfort in her words.
“So please don’t feel like your insecurities should stop you from being you, going out having fun and living happy,” she added.
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“Over time you will learn to love yourself a little bit more and more, baby steps eventually add up too giant steps, and I’m proud of every single one of you.”
What is vitiligo?
What is vitiligo?
The main symptom of vitiligo is flat, white spots or patches on your skin.
Initially, the vitiligo may start as a patch of skin that is paler than the rest.
Gradually, the patch will become completely white as the pigment in the skin begins to fade.
Vitiligo does not cause discomfort to your skin, such as dryness, but patches may occasionally be itchy, guidance states.
What causes vitiligo?
Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a skin pigment called melanin.
Non-segmental vitiligo, the most common type of vitiligo, is thought to be an autoimmune condition, the NHS states.
This means that your immune system – the body’s natural defence system – does not work properly.
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