What Is Lymphedema? Model With 100-pound Leg Shares Symptoms - TODAY

Mahogany Geter, a exemplary successful Tennessee, spent her puerility avoiding mirrors.  

“I felt hideous, similar a freak of nature,” Geter, 25 tells TODAY.com. 

Geter was calved with lymphedema successful her near leg, which she says caused it to yet swell to 100 pounds.

“When I’m retired successful public, radical look astatine me. There’s a batch of pointing — and I’m talking astir adults here,” Geter says. “Kids person the courageousness to inquire maine questions.”

The Mayo Clinic describes the aesculapian information arsenic a swelling caused by a build-up of lymph fluid successful the body’s tissues. It mostly occurs successful arms oregon legs, but tin besides impact the thorax wall, abdomen, cervix and genitals.

“Some cases are mild. Mine is precise noticeable,” Geter says. 

Geter's lymphedema was detected close aft she was born.

"What I’ve been told by my parent is that doctors were capable to announcement it due to the fact that 1 footprint was bigger than the other," she says.

For years, Geter lone wore pants and agelong skirts — she was terrified to amusement her bare limb successful public. But that changed successful 2017, erstwhile Geter was approached by a nonrecreational lensman wanting to assistance her physique retired a modeling portfolio.

“I was wholly skeptical,” Geter recalls. “I retrieve thinking, 'Why would idiosyncratic privation to instrumentality pictures of me?’”

But a fewer days later, with encouragement from her family, Geter gave the lensman a call. 

Geter began booking jobs and started posting pictures of herself connected societal media to rise consciousness astir lymphedema.Loren Viera / @lorenvieramedia

It was a determination that would yet alteration her life. 

"I discovered determination was this confident, atrocious bitch wrong of me," she reveals.

Geter began booking jobs and started posting pictures of herself connected societal media to rise consciousness astir lymphedema. She says determination are galore misconceptions astir the chronic condition.

“People deliberation that lone plus-size radical person lymphedema, but lymphedema doesn’t take a assemblage type,” she explains. “I’ve besides been told that the devil gave maine this disease. I’ll get messages astir healers that I should enactment with successful different countries.”

Lymphedema is not curable, according to Lauren Gressley, a caregiver practitioner successful the vascular country section astatine Corewell Health successful Michigan. However, it tin beryllium managed with implicit decongestive therapy (CDT). CDT includes a assortment of techniques including compression and manual lymphatic drainage, a benignant of gentle massage which moves lymphatic fluid successful the close direction. Gressley is not progressive Geter’s care.

Geter says manages her lymphedema with manual lymphatic drainage. She besides wears compression socks that assistance the fluid determination to an country that is draining properly.

Geter dreams of doing a photoshoot with supermodel Winnie Harlow. Harlow lives with vitiligo, an autoimmune upset that causes nonaccomplishment of tegument colour successful patches. Geter, similar Harlow, wants to redefine beauty.

"She's decidedly an inspiration," Geter says. "I'd outcry if I ever worked with her."

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