‘RHONY’ star Jenna Lyons reveals her hair, teeth are fake due to a genetic disorder
Jenna Lyons revealed that she has a genetic disorder that has affected her hair and teeth.
During an appearance on The View, the 55-year-old star of The Real Housewives of New York City shared her experience living with incontinentia pigmenti, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome. This inherited condition gradually affects the skin and other body systems over time, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Lyons explained, “All my teeth are artificial. I spent a lot of money on them. My hair is also artificial, but I can remove it like a hat. It’s not a wig.”
She added, “My eyelashes are fake, I have no eyebrows, and I have scars all over my skin.”
She confessed that her condition made her self-conscious, which is one of the reasons she entered the fashion industry. Lyons constantly sought ways to improve her appearance and fit in.
Inspired by her own struggle, the reality star created her own line of false eyelashes called Love Seen.
Recalling a moment with her makeup artist, Troi Ollivierre, Lyons shared, “I remember talking to Troi when I was about to appear on the Oprah show. Oprah walked into the green room and he looked at me and then at her. He said, ‘Get back in that chair. We’re gonna put some lashes on you and get some extensions.'”
She joked, “Because Oprah has a presence, and I look like a wet rat.” Lyons couldn’t find the lashes she wanted, so she decided to create her own line of more subtle lashes.
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In 2012, Lyons previously discussed her condition in an interview with The Guardian, revealing that it made her shy.
She said, “It made me introverted, but it was also the reason I loved fashion because it can change who you are and how you feel, and that can be magical.”
The current season of The Real Housewives of New York City, Season 14, airs on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET on Sundays.
Jenna Lyons opened up about her genetic disorder, revealing that her hair and teeth are artificial.
Appearing on The View Wednesday, “The Real Housewives of New York City” star, 55, detailed what it’s like to live with incontinentia pigmenti.
The condition, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, is an inherited condition that affects the skin and other systems in the body over a period of time, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
“All my teeth are fake. I paid a lot of money for them,” Lyons explained. “My hair is also fake. I can take it off. It’s like a hat. It’s not a wig.”
“My eyelashes are fake. I have no eyebrows, and I also have scars all over my skin.”
“I was really conscious. It’s one of the reasons I went into fashion. I wanted to look better. I was constantly trying to find ways to fit in.”
The reality star said her experience prompted her to create her own line of false eyelashes, Love Seen.
“When I was doing a lot of red carpets, I kept trying to find eyelashes that looked good and they were just huge on me. I couldn’t wear them,” she shared.
“I remember talking to my makeup artist Troi Ollivierre and I was going on Oprah show actually and Oprah walked into the green room. He looked at me and he looked at her and he’s like, ‘Get back in that chair. We’re gonna put some lashes on you and get some extensions.’”
“Because she’s got a presence and I look like a wet rat,” she quipped, adding that she “couldn’t find what I wanted, so I created a line of lashes that aren’t as over-the-top.”
For more TheFantasyTimes reality TV updates
Lyons previously opened up about her condition in 2012, telling The Guardian that it made her shy.
“It made me introverted, but it was also the reason I loved fashion, because it can change who you are and how you feel, and that can be magical,” she told the outlet at the time.
“The Real Housewives of New York City” Season 14 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
