Georgia May Foote has revealed she has been suffering with vitiligo for two years, telling fans that she doesn't "want to hide it" - with her instead hoping to raise awareness.
The actor, 31 - who is best known for playing Katy Armstrong on Coronation Street - shared the diagnosis on Instagram yesterday, posting photos of white patches on her skin.
She recalled that after initially being told that it could be a yeast infection, she has since received a "final diagnosis" of skin condition vitiligo from a dermatologist.
Georgia said she is developing new spots "all the time," with her hands the worst affected by the condition. She said that the patches are mirrored on both sides of her body.
The NHS describes vitiligo as a "long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin." It says that it's "caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin."
The Strictly Come Dancing runner-up said she has spots on her hands, wrists, armpits, elbows, feet and other areas - sharing photos of some examples on social media.
Alongside a photo that showed discolouration on her wrist and hand, she said: "As you can see the pigment on my skin has disappeared. [...] The saddest part? There is no cure."
Georgia said that "when it appears on one side [of the body], it appears on the other", with this a sign of non-segmental vitiligo - the most common type of the condition.
She told fans: "I try my hardest everyday not to let it affect my mind but it does get me down at times to know I will have this for life." The actor however wants to speak out.
"I just want to raise awareness and speak out about it. If I can make anyone else feel more comfortable about it I will. It will also help me more than you can imagine," she said.
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Georgia - who appeared on Corrie between 2010 and 2015 - added in her recent posts: "Social media makes you feel imperfect far too much but this is me and I can't change it."
She did however admit that there are days when it "makes [her] want to cry" and she feels insecure, though she acknowledged that it's not something she can change.
Asked in a Q&A with fans whether the condition causes discomfort, she responded: "It doesn't hurt but I do get really itchy on my biggest patch on my hand."
The actor expressed hope that anyone who meets someone with vitiligo will "understand" how it can make them feel, encouraging people to "find the beauty" in the condition.
And she followed-up her recent posts about vitiligo by thanking her followers for their "amazing messages," saying she was "shocked" to hear of so many others who have it.
Georgia concluded her latest post on it by writing: "As it is vitiligo month it felt very fitting to be open and honest about my own experience. Sending love to you all."
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