Fitness Star Karina Irby Shares an Unfiltered Butt Photo to Normalize 'Angry Skin'

In a world with Photoshop and Instagram filters, it can seem like everyone on social media has naturally perfect, airbrushed skin. Even though that’s far from the case, this can make it difficult for those who have skin blemishes or conditions to feel “normal” and confident in their appearance. Now, fitness star Karina Irby wants to change that.

On Thursday, Irby shared an unretouched photo of her backside on Instagram, revealing cellulite and redness from eczema on her butt and thighs. “This photo is hard for me to post…” she wrote.

 

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This photo is hard for me to post… One of my goals this year is to create normality to a few seriously common things people world wide are dealing with day to day. For me this is eczema and cellulite, and together they’re not the most flattery combo????????‍♀️ I wanted to share this image showing off my angry skin and cellulite to help raise awareness that THIS IS NORMAL. I want to help love and support other angry skin suffers that are covering up, feeling self conscious and even being bullied that they’re not alone????‍????‍????‍????????‍????‍???? I’ve been there, and I’m still dealing and accepting my skin every single day. Lately I’ve been receiving a lot of DM’s from eczema suffers all around the world giving me their personal advice and even saying thank you for sharing. Instead of the DM’s please comment below your questions, advice or anything you like that may help another in need. And more importantly, to prove to someone else that eczema is common, and they’re alone and shouldn’t feel uncomfortable and singled out. When I was a teenager I felt so alienated, unhappy and self conscious. I felt so alone and that no one knew what I had to deal with every day. Little did I know I had an entire community behind me, I just needed time to grow and realise it. So for all those young people out there that may be feeling the same… I got you’re back❤️

A post shared by KARINA????IRBY (@karinairby) on Jan 25, 2018 at 1:40am PST

“One of my goals this year is to create normality to a few seriously common things people world wide are dealing with day to day,” Irby wrote. “I wanted to share this image showing off my angry skin and cellulite to help raise awareness that THIS IS NORMAL.”

Eczema is a chronic condition that causes the skin to be red, dry and itchy, and affects approximately 31.6 million Americans. Although there’s no cure for eczema, there are treatments that can help reduce the itching and prevent future outbreaks.

The 28-year-old fitness star revealed she has struggled with eczema for years, noting she often felt “alienated, unhappy and self conscious” as a teenager. “I felt so alone and that no one knew what I had to deal with every day. Little did I know I had an entire community behind me, I just needed time to grow and realise it,” she wrote.

 

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Sometimes I like to photoshop my images and see what I’d look like if I was “social media perfect”. You know… those girls you scroll past and think… “HOW!?!?” Which do you prefer? Swipe right???? Wearing @MOANA_BIKINI, back wrinkles, cellulite, and eczema???? Care factor – 0

A post shared by KARINA????IRBY (@karinairby) on Jan 22, 2018 at 3:59am PST

Irby hopes that by posting natural photos, she can inspire others to feel more confident in their skin and let them know they’re not alone.

“For all those young people out there that may be feeling the same…” she wrote, “I got you’re [sic] back.”