Jameela Jamil shows ‘elastic skin’ as she opens up about rare Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Jameela Jamil demonstrates what having Ehlers Danlos-Syndrome is like. (TikTok/Jameela Jamil)
Actor Jameela Jamil has opened up about her struggles with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in a candid video urging others to check their symptoms.
Jamil took to TikTok to show her “elastic skin”, stretching her cheeks and clarifying it was “not an app or a filter” but an effect of her EDS.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder that can result in hypermobility in joints, stretchy skin, easy bruising, digestive problems and more.
In the video, the She-Hulk actor explained that she wanted to talk about the condition, which affects around 1 in 5,000 people, to help others.
Jamil herself showed her hyper-mobile elbow in the video, saying: “As you can see nothing bends the right way, everything bends the right and wrong way, and yes, that is very sexy – thanks for asking.”
“The internet made fun of me over my health problems and it made me suicidal for a while,” she wrote while sharing the video on Instagram, explaining that she has decided to rise above the “ignorant a***holes”.
“I was diagnosed when I was nine years old so I was able to avoid a lot of the things that would have made me much sicker when I got older,” she explained.
Clarifying that she does not drink, smoke or do drugs, she said: “I’m worried about the fact that I am already at a huge disadvantage with my health.”
Jamil ended the video by encouraging people to go to their doctor if they relate to any of these symptoms.
“Please find out before it is too late and before a doctor makes a massive mistake with you because they didn’t know you had this,” she stated.
She also called out those who don’t believe people have an illness because they “look healthy”.
Jameela Jamil has previously spoken about being accused of having Munchausen’s syndrome, a condition that makes people lie about having other illnesses.
People have praised Jamil for her courage in sharing her story.
One person shared that a previous post Jamil had shared on the topic had helped them get a diagnosis.
“I am still in tears whenever I think about you and that post of yours and the chances of me seeing it and how it changed my life forever. There are no words to express my gratitude, you literally saved me,” they wrote.
“Let’s raise awareness on this subject together, and save some motherf***ing lives!” Jamil concluded.
Who else has shared their experiences?
Jameela Jamil joins a number of other celebrities who have spoken about living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
One influencer attempting to raise awareness about EDS and related conditions such as POTS (Postural tachycardia syndrome) is lesbian YouTuber Jessica Kellgren-Fozard.
The LGBTQ+ disability rights activist has made multiple videos about her health issues, in particular charting her journey with EDS after becoming a parent last year.
Drag Race icon Yvie Oddly also opened up about their personal battle with EDS after their time on All Stars 7.
“The longer I live with Ehlers-Danlos, the more rapidly I can feel my body deteriorating, so to see that reflected back on screen so clearly (to me) has taken some great reconciliation with the inevitable,” they wrote in an emotional post.
