'RHONY' star Jenna Lyons says she 'never smiled' as a child due to this rare genetic disorder.

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The Real Housewives of New York City is back this week and of course there's plenty of drama ahead. The trailer for this season features an unwanted pregnancy, marital problems, and insults about New York boroughs, so of course it's going to be delicious.

Fashion expert Jenna Lyons is also returning as part of the cast, and although she appears to have stepped away from the drama, she won't be stepping down either. Last season she opened up about a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple elements of her appearance, and this season it's getting even more personal. During a Season 14 episode, she even refused to try on lingerie with the ladies.

“You will see behind closed doors why I can’t,” she said at the time. “I have a fairly rare genetic disorder. That’s why I never show skin.”

But what does Jenna have and how does it affect her life? Here's what she shared.

What does Jenna Lyons have?

The 56-year-old suffers from a rare genetic disease called incontinentia pigmenti. The condition causes skin abnormalities such as a blistering rash, wart-like lesions and gray and brown patches, along with hair loss, small teeth and scarred or lined finger and toenails, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Jenna first realized something was wrong in elementary school when girls behind her started whispering at an assembly. “I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but they were giggling and saying things like 'Bald!' and 'Why does she have this place?'” Jenna said Oprah Daily last year.

Jenna later learned that she was diagnosed with incontinentia pigmenti when she was seven months old, but her parents never told her about it. “I was definitely picked on and beat up in school, although no one called it 'bullying' back then,” she said. “I remember this one boy chasing me and hitting me… all of that took a toll on me emotionally, and it wasn't until later in my life that I started to undo some of it.”

Her condition affects her skin, teeth and hair.

Jenna said that incontinentia pigmenti “affects her skin, teeth and hair.”

“I grew up with terrible teeth and terrible teasing,” she wrote on Instagram in 2022. “I never smiled and covered my mouth.”

During season 14, Jenna avoided wearing a swimsuit on the cast trip and admitted the condition still “bothers” her.

“I know it's a genetic disorder, but most people don't know that, and people say, 'Oh, you're dirty' or 'You've got something on your skin,'” she said during an episode. “I don't. I don't really want to deal with it.

Due to her condition, Jenna has “fake” hair and teeth. “All my teeth are artificial. I paid a lot of money for it,” she said The view last year. “My hair is artificial too. I can take it off. It's like a hat. It’s not a wig.”

“My eyelashes are wrong. I have no eyebrows and I also have scars all over my skin,” she added.

She also underwent 14 oral surgeries, including procedures such as bone grafts, sinus lifts and entirely new implants, she said Oprah Daily. “For what those teeth cost me I could literally have bought a house and I still have a long way to go,” she added.

But Jenna said her condition inspired her to work in the fashion industry. “I wanted to look better. I was constantly trying to find ways to fit in,” she said.

It inspired her to start her eyelash business.

Jenna's experiences motivated her to start her own company, LoveSeen, after leaving J. Crew in 2017. “When I was on the red carpet a lot, I kept trying to find lashes that looked good and they just looked great on me,” she further shared The view. “I couldn’t carry them.”

“I remember having a conversation with my makeup artist, Troi Ollivierre Oprah actually show. and Oprah went into the green room,” she recalls. “He looked at me and he looked at her and said, 'Sit back in the chair.' We're going to put some lashes on you and get you some extensions.'”

Jenna said she decided to “create a lash line that wasn't so over the top.” (Notable: Many LoveSeen lashes are sold out on the company's website.)

I can't wait to watch this season!

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