A former Coronation Street star has opened up about having to deal with her ‘changing face’ and the ‘stares’ and ‘comments’ that she gets when she’s just living her life
Georgia May Foote, who played Katy Armstrong in Coronation Street from 2010 to 2015, has opened up about how she dealt with her changing face after she spotted a symptom when she left the cobbles. She noticed some differences in herself in 2020 and knew that she wanted to get them checked out.
Georgia, 35, who competed on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 and finished as a runner-up, has had other acting roles since Corrie and has also opened her own beauty salon and academy in Heywood, Greater Manchester, where they offer services like gel nails, eyelash appointments, and permanent welded jewellery.
What did Georgia open up about on Instagram?
Georgia spoke about her journey with vitiligo, which she has been public about for quite some time after she developed the skin condition in 2020, five years after leaving the cobbles. Now she helps to raise awareness and helps others embrace the condition.
According to the NHS, vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It’s caused by a lack of melanin, which is the pigment in the skin. Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly occurs on the face, neck, hands, and in skin creases.
The pale areas of skin are more vulnerable to sunburn, so it’s important to take extra care when in the sun and use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF).
Georgia posted a photo of herself, proudly showing off her skin, saying: “Let’s talk about my vitiligo.
“In 2020, I noticed two teeny tiny patches on my chest and was wrongly diagnosed with a treatable condition called tinea versicolour. I KNEW I was being fobbed off, begged for a referral and was later diagnosed with Vitiligo and discharged the same day with zero help.”
According to the NHS, tinea versicolor (also known as pityriasis versicolor) is a common, non-contagious fungal skin infection caused by an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast, which naturally lives on healthy skin.
However, Georgia explained: “7 years later I have lost nearly all the pigment in my hands, armpits and elbows. My arms are taking a huge turn all the way up, the back of my legs, my feet, my hips, my inner thighs, my stomach and the hardest part, my face.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I hate it at times, but I’d also be lying if I didn’t say I love it sometimes. I have always loved being an olive-skinned girl. I love the sun. My tan. The thought of being completely covered terrifies me”.
She admitted that the most difficult part to deal with is her face, because she gets “stares” and “comments” from people, but she said the “support” she’s received is “heartwarming”.
“I get asked all the time if there is treatment. Yes. But I’m too covered for the cream. I have been on a wait list for light therapy for a year now, and in that time I have lost double the amount of colour. Literally sick of it being played down as a cosmetic issue,” she said.
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Georgia then went on to blast people who are making AI images of people with vitiligo, fuming: “I love seeing vitiligo being represented online and in stores. But I HATE seeing fake AI content people are making of it”.
She described her journey with the skin condition as a “rollercoaster,” admitting that she was feeling a bit insecure about it at the moment, but then admitting tomorrow she may “embrace it”.
“But what I can say is, my heart is the same. If anything, it’s made me a kinder person having this condition. And I will do my best to be the best representative for people like me,” she wrote, urging people to “be kind” at the end of the post, quoting her friend Caroline Flack, who sadly died in 2020.
What did people in the comments say?
Someone wrote: “Keep inspiring!! I had a very similar journey. I always said to myself I can deal with it being anywhere else but not my face. And then when it happens, you have to deal with it.
“I hid mine for many years using makeup, but I’m so glad I’ve just decided to own it, and now I’m completely comfortable with my spots. Thank you so much for sharing a post like this. It means so much to the community”.
Her friend, actress Laila Rouass, penned: “My gorgeous, beautiful friend. You were, are and will always be one of the most naturally stunning women I know.
“You have your whole life ahead of you, and it warms my heart when I see you grabbing it with both hands…vitiligo and all. An inspiration and proper role model by redefining what beauty means. You are all sorts of beautiful. Go get em G”.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
