Mahogany Geter, a model in Tennessee, spent her childhood avoiding mirrors.  

“I felt hideous, like a freak of nature,” Geter, 25, tells TODAY.com.

Geter was born with lymphedema in her left leg, which she says caused it to eventually swell to 100 pounds.

“When I’m out in public, people stare at me. There’s a lot of pointing — and I’m talking about adults here,” Geter says. “Kids have the courage to ask me questions.”

The Mayo Clinic describes the medical condition as a swelling caused by a build-up of lymph fluid in the body’s tissues. It generally occurs in arms or legs, but can also affect the chest wall, abdomen, neck and genitals.

“Some cases are mild. Mine is very noticeable,” Geter says.

Geter's lymphedema was detected right after she was born.

"What I’ve been told by my mother is that doctors were able to notice it because one footprint was bigger than the other," she says.

For years, Geter only wore pants and long skirts — she was terrified to show her bare leg in public. But that changed in 2017, when Geter was approached by a professional photographer wanting to help her build out a modeling portfolio.

“I was completely skeptical,” Geter recalls. “I remember thinking, 'Why would someone want to take pictures of me?’”

But a few days later, with encouragement from her family, Geter gave the photographer a call.

"I discovered there was this confident, bad bitch inside of me," she reveals.

Geter began booking jobs and started posting pictures of herself on social media to raise awareness about lymphedema. She says there are many misconceptions about the chronic condition.

“People think that only plus-size people have lymphedema, but lymphedema doesn’t choose a body type,” she explains. “I’ve also been told that the devil gave me this disease. I’ll get messages about healers that I should work with in other countries.”

Lymphedema is not curable, according to Lauren Gressley, a nurse practitioner in the vascular surgery department at Corewell Health in Michigan. However, it can be managed with complete decongestive therapy (CDT). CDT includes a variety of techniques including compression and manual lymphatic drainage, a type of gentle massage which moves lymphatic fluid in the right direction. Gressley is not involved Geter’s care.

Geter says she manages her lymphedema with manual lymphatic drainage. She also wears compression socks that help the fluid move to an area that is draining properly.

Geter dreams of doing a photoshoot with supermodel Winnie Harlow. Harlow lives with vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder that causes loss of skin color in patches. Geter, like Harlow, wants to redefine beauty.

"She's definitely an inspiration," Geter says. "I'd cry if I ever worked with her."

https://www.today.com/health/lymphedema-100-pound-leg-symptoms-rcna68615

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Sorry for her, that sucks.

She should probably cut back on the photoshop filter prescription a bit though.

Big-legged woman ain't got no soul

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MidCap is going to be so confused with this one!

I would cut that shit off

Looks like she WOOD SMASH something with that leg

Not guilty.

His penoid will only get half as hard.

Uhhh....

Personally if it were me.

At that point, I would want it chopped off/amputated

I feel like a prosthetic would be less of a hindrance.

Rated

.5 Midcaps

That's sad

Winnie Harlow drives me nuts.  Anytime there's a post on Reddit about vitiligo, there's a chorus of posts about how cool and beautiful it is.

It's not cool, it fucking sucks.  I've got to slather myself in sunscreen to keep my spots from burning.  For me it's the equivalent of being 15% ginger.

Winnie Harlow for reference:

This.  And based on the title, I was expecting a hambeast.  That poor girl just got the shit end of the stick.

Sometimes you find something amusing, and you type “LOL.”
Other times, you actually laugh out loud.
IALOL.  

50% THICCC

Good lord, that must be miserable.

She's attractive, mushroom foot not so much.

I cant imagine it. Like normally she would probably weigh what, 120? Her leg alone is about 100lbs.. Not to mention the pain/mobility issues and stuff

How does she even get around?

Why can't they just drain it?

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Its attractiveness is dependent on what pattern formed.

And if you're upset about being 15% ginger, you'll get no sympathy from those of us who are 100% and basically allergic to the sun.

Please don't post that picture again, thanks.

Bless her.  That is a tough hand to have been dealt.

That's my fetish.

I aon't no doctor, but if you ain't go no lymph nodes, wouldn't that mean it would stop over producing lymphatic fluid?

So why not just remove them?

This. I mean it. I'd rather have one leg and a nice prosthetic than have to lug that thing around.

She's kinda like a reverse pirate

Well. at least her right leg is nice looking.

Tennessee?

Geter done!

Tag for later reading

Jeepers!!!

Atleast she has options for Halloween.

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I wonder what color her nips are?

Really weird that it is only hard on the left half.

Seconded on the amputation. Seems much, much healthier to remove and run on a prosthetic.

Damn, that sucks.

Somewhere in the back of my brain, I think it also ends up with a higher chance of dangerous infection and skin ulcers, etc.

Poor kid, how does she get her under ware on/off?

Probably something with Velcro or she goes commando.

LoL.  She has money to get a boob job, and her face re-worked.  But no money to get that leg properly treated.

Without doing a deep search there appear to be nudes available.

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I have a cousin that has it,  she's a bit bigger than the model pictured but her affected leg is quite a bit smaller and only below the knee.  She's in her early 50s now and the docs have already been telling her it's going to have to come off before much longer.

Happened to my mom, not that big though. But swelled with fluid. It was cancer. Hopefully not her case.