Demi Sims proudly shows off her 'patches' in a slew of candid bikini snaps as she raises awareness for National Vitiligo Day
The TV personality, 28, who has previously spoken openly about growing up with the skin condition, shared several empowering photos, urging fans to 'wear their skin condition with confidence.'
The former TOWIE star reflected on her journey with self-confidence, revealing how much her mindset has changed since she first developed vitiligo as a teenager.
Admitting she used to be 'so shy' about her patches, Demi said she now embraces them completely.
Captioning her inspiring post, she wrote: 'Happy national vitiligo day (party hat emojis), ive had my patches since I was 16 years old, and I live with them everyday!
'They stand out a lot more when I'm tanned so summer time used to be scary for me. I used to be so so shy about them growing up I went to the drs and tried different medication, but now I couldn't care less,
'I wouldn't get rid of them if a dr came to me with a cure, they built me to gain my confidence that I walk with today (love heart emoji).
'Love to everyone today who has a skin condition and don't forget to wear it with confidence because I've noticed the people who are around me and love me for me, would still love me just as much with or without my patches,
'As it's all about the good person you are on the inside, you're all perfect the way you are (love heart emoji).'
In 2022, the star opened up to OK! Magazine about her skin condition.
She said: 'I want everyone who has vitiligo to feel comfortable. I wanted to do it because I wanted to feel proud of myself and I wanted to make other people who have vitiligo feel proud, too.
'There's nothing worse than getting messages on social media from people asking me how I cover it up. I want people to embrace it and be happy in their skin.'
She added that she still gets 'new patches all the time' and detailed how her biggest ones have stopped getting bigger now.
She continued: 'The newest one is on my wrist, which I got about a month ago. I thought they had stopped last year but I notice new patches every now and then. My biggest ones have all stopped now.'
The beauty took to her Instagram account after posing naked for the magazine and shared a sweet message raising awareness.
She penned at the time: '*Vitiligo awareness* Well where do I start … a few weeks ago I got completely starkers infront of a camera crew and photographers to send the public who are living with a skin condition a message to love yourself.
'This has got to be the most nervous I had ever been. I done the extreme so I could feel what it was like going back in time again; the first time I ever came out about my vitiligo.
'And yes it was scary and yes I felt uncomfortable and out of my comfort zone for a minute, but that minute didn't last very long when I started to remember why and who I was doing this for, and that's when the confidence started too ooze out.'
She continued: 'This article isn't only for helping people with skin conditions it's also for making people who haven't got a skin condition to recognise it and also be aware of how nervous it can make you feel.
'I hope I can help at least 1 person from this post, and I will continue to speak more openly about vitiligo.
'I have been filming on our new show wearing hardly any makeup in some scenes so viewers can see it, it's fair to say I'm no longer hiding. I'm out and proud and my vitiligo is here too stay.'
WHAT IS VITILIGO?
Vitiligo is one of the most common autoimmune skin diseases and is caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour.
Late singer Michael Jackson always said he was blighted by a rare skin disease called vitiligo - but his claim is shrouded in controversy as many experts are adamant he wasn't a sufferer.
Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow is a known sufferer.
The body's immune system attacks the pigment cells, mistaking them for foreign invaders.
This causes painless white patches on exposed areas such as the face and fingers, although they can also appear on the wrists, around the eyes, groin, armpits and inside the mouth.
The disease affects around one in 200 people, and about 50 per cent develop their first symptoms before the age of 20, though it's not clear why.
However, 'stressful' events, such as childbirth, hormone changes or even cuts to the skin, may trigger it — there is also a genetic link.
There is no cure, but some treatments can reverse pigment loss if used early enough.
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