What is Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome? RHONY newcomer Jenna Lyons opens up about genetic disorder

Real Housewives of New York (RHONY) is back with a brand new season 14 introducing Jenna Lyons, who is a trailblazing fashion guru and the first openly gay housewife in the history of the show.

As the season premiers, Jenna Lyons has recently opened up about her lifelong struggle with a rare genetic disorder, called Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, also known as incontinentia pigmenti.

In a recent interview with The View, RHONY star Jenna Lyons revealed her eyelashes and teeth are fake due to her inherited condition.

Bloch-Sulzberger Syndrome is a rare genetic condition with extreme effects on various systems in the body, primarily the skin. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the syndrome typically presents with kin, central nervous system, eye, teeth, hair, and nail involvement.

It typically appears in the first few weeks of being born and is more common in females than males.

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RHONY newbie Jenna Lyons's hair and teeth are artificial

In a recent interview with The View on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, the 55-year-old gave details on what it's like living with Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome. She explained,

"All my teeth are fake. I paid a lot of money for them. My hair is also fake. I can take it off. It’s like a hat. It’s not a wig. My eyelashes are fake. I have no eyebrows, and I also have scars all over my skin."

Jenna Lyons, who has been known as the fashion mogul, showcased a vulnerable side of her sharing that her genetic disorder is what has made her conscious. It has been one of the driving forces that she is a part of the fashion industry.

She shared,

"I was really conscious. It’s one of the reasons I went into fashion. I wanted to look better. I was constantly trying to find ways to fit in."

RHONY season 14 star has also made a major contribution to the beauty industry by building her own line of false eyelashes called Love Seen.

The brand was shaped due to her own struggle to find the perfect lashes. During the time when she was doing a lot of red carpets, she couldn't find the one that would look good on her as the usual ones were huge on her. In the previously mentioned interview, she shared an incident,

"I remember talking to my makeup artist Troi Ollivierre and I was going on Oprah show actually and Oprah walked into the green room. He looked at me and he looked at her and he’s like, ‘Get back in that chair. We’re gonna put some lashes on you and get some extensions."'

In the light of this, Jenna added,

"Because she’s got a presence and I look like a wet rat, [she] “couldn’t find what I wanted, so I created a line of lashes that aren’t as over-the-top."

Jenna Lyons had previously opened up about her condition in 2012. In an interview with The Guardian, she confessed the genetic disorder made her shy. In the interview, she stated,

"It made me introverted, but it was also the reason I loved fashion, because it can change who you are and how you feel, and that can be magical."

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The Real Housewives of New York City season 14 premieres on Bravo every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.