Selena Gomez Designs Two Swimsuits Based on Her Experience With Chronic Illness
If your surgical scars make you self-conscious at the beach, Selena Gomez can relate. The actress and singer designed two swimsuits to cover her kidney transplant scar. She collaborated with her close friend, Theresa Marie Mingus, founder of KRAHS Swim, to create a red two-piece swimsuit as well as a one-piece.
In 2017, Gomez’s friend, actress Francia Raisa, donated a kidney to the star. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 60% of people with lupus develop kidney complications.
Gomez designed her swimsuits to be high-waisted in order to feel more comfortable about her body and to cover up her kidney transplant scar.
“The design I did, one of them, it was the high-waisted one with the belt,” she said in an Instagram video. “I’ve had a kidney transplant and I like bathing suits that kind of cover where that’s been and make me feel comfortable.”
The high-waisted swimsuit bottoms are available for $49.99. Gomez also designed a red one-piece swimsuit that costs $69.99.
Gomez hasn’t shied away from sharing what it’s like to live with lupus. The star talked about using chemotherapy to treat her condition in 2015. In 2018, she received help with her mental health after her chronic illness caused her to have anxiety, depression and panic attacks. The singer also took a break from touring in 2014 to prioritize her mental health.
“I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges,” Gomez told People in 2014.
While Gomez feels more secure having her scar hidden, covering up your scar is a personal decision you get to make for yourself. Everyone embraces their bodies and their scars differently — there is no one “right” way to rock a swimsuit. And if you can’t go to the beach for reasons like photosensitivity or fatigue, know that is OK, too.
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Image via Creative Commons/conceptx_design