Selena Gomez Is “Proud” to Show Her Kidney Transplant Scar in New Pic

Amy Sussman, Getty Images

In showing off her new one-piece made by the new, inclusive swimwear brand La'Mariette, Selena Gomez opened up about how she used to feel self-conscious about her kidney transplant scar. But now, having realized that her scar is a sign of survival, Gomez is "proud" to show it off.

In an Instagram post on September 24th, Gomez shared a picture that shows her kidney transplant scar, and she opened up about her history of hiding it, as well as why she won't any longer.

"When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar," she wrote. "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."

She continued, shouting out Theresa Marie Mingus as "T" and writing, "Congratulations on what you’re doing for women, launching @lamariette whose message is just that...all bodies are beautiful."

Gomez received a new kidney from her friend and Secret Life of the American Teenager star Francia Raisa in 2017. The transplant was necessary due to a downward turn in Gomez's health due to her lupus diagnosis, a systemic autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to attack its own organs. She called her health status before her transplant, "life or death."

Though lupus can affect many body systems, it most often affects the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure. The Mayo Clinic reports that severe kidney damage and failure is the largest cause of death among people with lupus.

"So I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering," Gomez, who had been away from the public eye for most of the summer of 2017, wrote on Instagram at the time. "It was what I needed to do for my overall health. I honestly look forward to sharing with you, soon my journey through these past several months as I have always wanted to do with you."

She added, "There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed."

"Lupus continues to be very misunderstood but progress is being made," Gomez said, and as the Mayo Clinic reiterates, it can affect people in myriad different ways.

Realizing that without that scar on her body, Gomez's wellness and outlook wouldn't be what it is today, so we're happy that she can show it off proudly.