Former Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote has delivered a poignant health update, detailing the ongoing progression of her vitiligo, an autoimmune skin condition she first developed in 2020.
The 34-year-old star, best known for playing Katy Armstrong on the ITV soap, has seen the condition, which causes pale white patches on the skin, become more extensive over the past five years, now significantly affecting her face.
A Visible Journey
This week, Georgia turned to Instagram to share a series of personal snaps, including a clear image of her raised arm showing the distinctive patches. She captioned the post, "Just a bit of me and my week," offering a glimpse into her life with the condition.
In a recent appearance on Channel 5 News, the actress provided more context, stating, "I developed it in 2020. It started with a couple of little spots here and there, and then over the past five years it's progressed. Now it's all over my hands, I've got it all down my arms, elbows."
She confirmed the significant development that it has now spread to her face, calling it "quite a big change." Despite the challenges, Georgia expressed a desire to use her platform for good, saying she feels "lucky" to be in a position to raise awareness.
The Emotional Impact and Diagnosis Struggle
Georgia has been candid about the emotional toll of living with vitiligo. In earlier posts this year, she revealed her heart goes out to others with the condition and admitted that "some days are so so hard."
She also disclosed a frustrating path to diagnosis, revealing she was wrongly diagnosed "for a while" but persevered, "kept pushing and pushing and pushing" for answers as her skin changes became more pronounced.
Her concerns are now turning to an upcoming holiday, where she confessed feeling "so nervous to go" instead of looking forward to it. She worries about people staring as the contrast between her natural olive skin and the white patches becomes more visible with a tan.
Hopes for the Future
Looking ahead, the actress, who now runs a nail salon in Manchester, has voiced a specific hope for treatment. She is advocating for a cream that can treat vitiligo, which is not currently available in the UK, to be approved for use in the country.
In a final reflective post, Georgia shared a throwback selfie, writing that it made her "a little sad" to see her former tan. She concluded with raw honesty, "Knowing it's only going to get worse breaks my heart. Some days I'm ok with it. Days like today I’m not. My face... it's the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with."
