Aussie Survivor fave Pia Miranda has opened up about living with an autoimmune condition she didn’t know she had until she hopped on the show.
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The Looking for Alibrandi and Wentworth star posted about her condition on Instagram last night after a few fans asked her about it.
“Well it turns out that whilst playing I had a flare up of an Autoimmune condition called Vitiligo that I didn’t know I had,” she wrote. “I was made aware of it but decided to push through and not stress about it until I came home because… Survivor!”
According to the Vitiligo Association of Australia, the condition turns the skin pale or white, and affects 1% to 2% of the population.
The condition can be associated with a number of autoimmune conditions like thyroid disease and diabetes, the organisation continued.
“Most people with vitiligo are in good health and have no symptoms other than areas of pigment loss.”
Jamaican Canadian model Winnie Harlow, who also lives with the skin condition, became the first model in 2018 to walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with vitiligo.
Pia said she has since seen a specialist and was told it’s “a condition that needs lifelong management, but I’m having some amazing treatment and it’s working really well so I’m feeling very lucky.”
The actor described finding out about her skin condition on Survivor as “pretty confronting” especially because it all happened in real time.
“It was pretty confronting knowing I was being filmed, but I think what initially felt like a negative, can be a positive.”
So for anyone who might be suffering from Vitiligo or any other condition that makes you feel like you look less than perfect, I hope that watching me out there kicking butt on Survivor (and also getting my butt kicked ????) without a stitch of makeup on, lifts your spirits.
I’m thinking there are enough perfect looking people on TV, so I’m happy to offer an alternative and be someone who is perfectly fine with being imperfect.
Pia, the absolute legend, added that a bit of skin wasn’t going to stop her from playing hard and having fun.
“Also I’m drinking out of a copper cup now because some random Ayurvedic website said it would help.” Bless.
Australian Survivor airs 7.30pm Sunday to Tuesday on Channel 10.
