Borders beautician 'bares all' for endometriosis
Last updated 31st May 2023
A Borders beautician has released a series of stunning snaps to raise awareness of her battle with endometriosis.
Becky Leigh, from Melrose, stripped down to her underwear for the "bare all" shoot, which she hopes will inspire other women to feel more confident about their bodies.
The 24-year-old teamed up with local lingerie designer Vivienne Lynch - who founded Miss Vivienne Lingerie - after meeting over brunch; and revealed the experience was both "terrifying and liberating".
"It's very hard to feel, dare I say, sexy when you're in pain all the time," Becky told Greatest Hits Radio. "And I guess for us we really just wanted to get the message out there to other women, especially those fighting the disease, that 'you are still beautiful, despite your flaws'.
"I have burns from hot water bottles, scars from surgery, bruising and the classic endo belly - which is a swollen, bloated appearance of the belly which can sometimes make you look pregnant."
But she added: "I decided if this made one woman feel good then it was worth it."
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Common symptoms include pain in your lower tummy or back; feeling sick; and difficulty getting pregnant.
Becky, who runs Bexleigh Beauty in Melrose, was first diagnosed aged 19 - and revealed the condition can be debilitating.
But Celui Tan in Kelso and More Than Just a Salon in Jedburgh ensured she was looking fab for her photographs.
"The reality of endometriosis is after shooting this day I needed carried up the stairs into a bath," Becky said. "I then collapsed only the next day in agony.
"My body is put through torment with endometriosis day in day out, so it was lovely to show her some love and remind myself that I am more than my condition.
"And the response I've received has just been unbelievable. I'm getting messages from women that are on holiday that have spent the week in swimsuits because they feel so self-conscious and now they're hunting for that bikini; and it just makes me feel amazing."
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