While Selena Gomez has lived much of her life in the public eye after beginning her acting career in Barney & Friends in the early ’00s, the singer has privately struggled with health conditions. Gomez was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Lupus in 2012 and five years later revealed that she had to undergo a kidney transplant, which was donated to her by her best friend. Though her surgery was several years ago, Gomez has now revealed her scar for the first time on social media.
Gomez showed off her inner thigh scar while promoting a swimsuit brand on Instagram. Addressing the scar, Gomez said she used to purposefully cover it up but now wants to put it on display in order to “feel confident” in her own skin: “When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar. I didn’t want it to be in photos, so I wore things that would cover it up. Now, more than ever, I feel confident in who I am and what I went through…and I’m proud of that.”
Gomez has been open about her health struggles in the past. Back in April, the singer revealed she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder after coping with anxiety and depression throughout her career. Discussing the diagnosis, Gomez said she was relieved to finally be able to categorize what she had been going through. The singer felt “equal parts terrified and relieved — terrified because the veil was lifted but relieved that I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered with various depressions and anxieties for so many years. I never had full awareness or answers about this condition.”
Check out Gomez’s heartfelt post addressing her kidney transplant scar above.