- Neli Zuma
Aspiring model Neli Zuma was only 23 years-old when she was involved in an almost fatal car accident. Zuma along with a close friend were driving home, when Zuma’s friend lost control of the wheel and crashed into a wall. The blow left her with a gaping hole in her abdomen, which resulted in severe internal bleeding. Doctors were able to stop the hemorrhaging by removing skin from her inner thigh to close the opening, leaving Zuma with large textured scars, stretching across the entirety of her stomach. After suffering a long 10 month recovery, Zuma was convinced that her budding modeling career was over. That was until she took to social media with her own professional-grade photographs, which eventually granted her a different kind of modeling career. Now, Zuma proudly showcases her scars as a reminder that there is beauty in pain and perseverance, as well as working to inspire others with visible disfigurements to never give up on their dreams.
- Jokiva Bellard
Jokiva Bellard was an ordinary high school student when she experienced her first Lupus outbreak. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that attacks healthy tissue as opposed to foreign entities or bacteria in the body, resulting in lung and kidney failure. Lupus also causes the formation of large, painful lesions that tend to cover the entire expanse of a person’s skin, including one’s face, scalp, and palms. Bellard has unfortunately experienced all of the debilitating symptoms of Lupus, but still fights through frequent doctor visits and intermittent hospital stays in order to spread awareness of the disease. Bellard is currently a Lupus advocate and brand ambassador for a number of social media-centered brands, and uses her platform of over 100K followers to advocate for fellow Lupus survivors.
- Isaiah Griffin
Isaiah Griffin, was on the road to becoming the next Mr. Universe following a growing interest in competitive fitness. Upon turning 17 years-old, Griffin noticed a large benign lump on his leg that resembled a keloid scar. Soon after, similar growths began to appear all over his body and in the areas in which he suffered from hormonal acne, mainly on his shoulders, back, and chest. After mustering the courage to display his scars at his local YMCA, Griffin began training to compete for his very first fitness competition with the help of his loving father. Despite being prone to tearing and bleeding caused by the tight scarring stretching across his chest, the young bodybuilder earned third place, giving him the courage and endurance to continue training for the #1 spot.
- Sara Geurts
At just 10 years-old, model and activist Sara Geurts was diagnosed with EDS–Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The rare condition causes the epidermis to sag, mimicking the collagen- depleted skin of a person well into old age. Now 27-years old, Geurts is determined to show the world that “different” is not synonymous with “ugly,” or “undesirable.” She headed her very first campaign called “ Love Your Lines,” in which she garnered over 250,000 shares and likes from women who also battle rare skin conditions, as well as supporters of the body positive movement across the globe. She currently maintains a following of almost 70K Instagram users, who also believe that true beauty lies below the surface.
- Solara Jaafar
Only a toddler when it happened, Solara Jaafar and her baby brother were the victims of a house fire which left her with 3rd degree burns on 70% of her body. Jaafar’s infant brother did not survive. Doctors suspected that Jaafar would also succumb to her injuries, after the ordeal left her in a coma for six-months. Following many reconstructive surgeries, and eventually a move from her home country of Lebanon to the U.S., Jaafar had already experienced more physical and emotional trauma than the average five year-old. Still, she was determined to make better of her circumstances, growing to love and accept her scars as part of her journey to self love. Now as 22 year-old woman, Jafaar speaks publicly about her experiences, and has even filmed a beauty segment with fellow burn survivor and Youtuber Shalom Blac, in an effort to celebrate the bravery of the many women who also bare their scars. The viral video amassed over 2M views, and is continuing to climb as one of the most watched videos on Blac’s beauty channel.
