Twenty-eight-year-old Melanie Gaydos was born with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic condition that affects the development of teeth, nails, hair, pores and small bones. She also has alopecia and is legally blind from abnormal eyelash growth that damaged her eyes as a child.
The list of Melanie’s physical limitations can go on and on, but surprisingly, the laundry list of her aesthetic abnormalities doesn’t hold her back one bit from showcasing her brand of beauty as one of the highest demand, up-and-coming models in the fashion industry.
Melanie Gaydos: Depression
But Melanie’s life wasn’t always so glamorous. At age 16, she struggled severely with depression and suicidal tendencies from all the bullying she experienced as a child. In fact, she testifies that she didn’t think she would make it past age 18. However, she decided to write a different end to her story.
#lordnermal #thankubrother
Her love for art and acting drew her to New York City where she studied fine art at Pratt. It was her initial interest in self-portraiture that eventually led her to experiment with modeling—though she wasn’t always so sure her newfound passion would go anywhere.
“I used to hate having anyone take my picture, and I was still nervous about modeling for others,” she said, according to Yahoo! Style.
It was actually her boyfriend at the time who convinced her that she had what it takes to succeed in modeling:
“He helped me to understand that I am the only person who looks like me, that there was potential,” says Gaydos.
YouTube
This much-needed encouragement, along with a dose of self-esteem and her fascination with being “larger than life,” propelled Gaydos to new heights that she never thought possible.
What started as a few gigs on Craigslist has morphed into a full-time career, with fashion photographers from around the world vying for her talent.
