Influencer Inspires The World As She Uses Her Disability to Make a Difference in the Beauty Industry
Those who think of themselves as “fragile” should see how it really feels like to be that, literally. A young woman with fragile bones has regained her confidence through vlogging. She shared that when she sneezes, her bones are so frail that she breaks them.
Hannah Tyre, a 24-year-old Georgia woman was diagnosed at birth and born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
“Osteogenesis Imperfecta” or brittle bones illness is a genetic disorder that weakens the strength of the bones. This is referred to as ‘brittle bones syndrome.’ Hannah started vlogging three years ago. She started this as she was inspired by beauty videos on YouTube and wanting to share her experiences as well.
During her interview with Good Morning America, Tyre shared how her condition greatly affected her life. She said, “It affects my bones. My bones lack collagen, and so they’re very fragile,” she said. Tyre then explained how her disability has forced her to deal with a variety of challenges such as fractures, surgeries, asthma, and other respiratory problems, among others.
Tyre also shared with the show that she thinks it’s “really awesome” that the beauty industry “is becoming more diverse” by “showcasing different types of beauty.” She said, “Beauty just means being confident and just owning who you are.”
According to the John Hopkins Medicine website, “Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited (genetic) bone disorder that is present at birth. It is also known as brittle bone disease. A child born with OI may have soft bones that break (fracture) easily, bones that are not formed normally, and other problems. Signs and symptoms may range from mild to severe.”
Stanford Children’s Health stated that there are an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 people who are currently living with it just in the U.S. alone. It is also a “progressive condition that needs life-long management to prevent deformity and complications.”
The types of OI are passed on in various ways. The gene can come from either parent. Unexpected changes (spontaneous mutations) in a gene can also be passed down to the child. Most OI newborns have one of two gene defects. This deficiency causes a lack of collagen.
Tyre’s fascination with makeup began when she was a little girl. She would be accompanying her mother, who was an Avon cosmetics representative, to meetings and meetups with her customers. And when she received her own ‘big makeup kit’, she decided to start her own YouTube channel. The makeup kit was given to her as a Christmas gift.
All Tyre wants is to use her platform to inspire others with disabilities, even those that are not the same as her. She said, “Growing up I didn’t really see a lot of women or really anybody in the media with a disability. So I kind of wanted to do something to show people with disabilities that you can do this too.”
Currently, Tyre has over 15,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, “Beautybyhannah215.”
The beauty industry these days is more inclusive. As long as you have the love and passion for makeup, you can always be an online sensation. What makes Hannah Tyre special is that she is confident all the way through. She never lets her condition stop her from doing what she loves.
