Georgie Henley recently opened up about the scars she received from necrotizing fasciitis. When she was 18, the “Narnia” actress contracted a flesh-eating infection. Georgie Henley, who played Lucy in the “Narnia” films, has been hiding her scars for years — and she’s had enough.
Henley, 27, who played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia films, opened up about her health diagnosis on her Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a professional headshot with scars on her arm, showing scars from her battle with a potentially fatal infection on her left hand and arm. She explained in the caption that she needed skin grafts and extensive surgery to save her limb.
When Henley was 18 years old and in her first semester of university, she contracted an aggressive, flesh-eating skin infection. Despite the fact that she recovered years ago, she is only now sharing her story for the first time.
Necrotizing fasciitis, she said, was a “rare and punishing infection” that nearly killed her. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infection spreads quickly in the body, so doctors had to act quickly to remove the infected flesh.
Necrotizing fasciitis is characterised by red, warm, or swollen skin, severe pain that extends beyond the swollen area, and fever. These symptoms may also indicate a less severe skin infection, but it’s critical to get checked out right away before the infection spreads.
According to the CDC, if symptoms are not treated, they can progress to ulcers, oozing blisters, or black spots on the skin. When doctors suspect necrotizing fasciitis, they usually prescribe antibiotics and surgically remove infected tissue. Many patients require multiple surgeries before they can start to heal.
Henley still has scars down the side of her hand and arm years after her last reconstructive surgery.
She hid her scars for fear of losing jobs:
Henley made her surgical scars public for the first time in a recent post.
While she has been open about her scars in her personal life, she has kept them hidden when auditioning for jobs or posting photos online. She said she would cover the marks with bandages or makeup, or put her scarred hand in her pocket whenever she was photographed.
Despite her illness, Henley continued to attend red carpet events and activities, filming a Game of Thrones prequel pilot that never aired and playing Meg Tutor on Starz’s The Spanish Princess. While the actress previously went to great lengths to conceal her scars, she is now ready to flaunt them.