What is Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome? 'RHONY' star Jenna Lyons reveals her hair, teeth and eyelashes are fake

Jenna Lyons spoke on 'The View' about the condition she had and how it had affected her life

PUBLISHED JUL 20, 2023

Jenna Lyons attends Goodwill NYNJ Hosts 2023 Evening of Treasures at Tapestry on May 3 in New York City (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Goodwill NYNJ)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: 'RHONY' star Jenna Lyons told 'The View' on July 19 that she had a condition called from incontinentia pigmenti, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, which had affected her teeth and hair.

Due to the disorder, Lyons shared that she has had to invest a substantial amount of money in artificial teeth and hair, which she emphasized was not a wig. "All of my teeth are fake," she said, before adding lightheartedly, "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."

‘I was really conscious’

The reality TV personality further explained the impact of the genetic disorder on her appearance. "My eyelashes are fake. I have no eyebrows, and I also have scars all over my skin," Lyons explained.

Jenna Lyons attends as Tonic.xyz presents the Preview Party for William Mapan's "Strands of Solitude" Collection at Jenna Lyons' on March 9 in New York City (JP Yim/Getty Images for Tonic.xyz)

Despite these challenges, Lyons said that her experiences with the genetic disorder fueled her passion for fashion and played a pivotal role in her successful career. "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," she said. As an entrepreneur, she found inspiration to start her own line of cruelty-free and natural-looking fake eyelashes, further demonstrating her resilience and creativity in overcoming obstacles.

What is the Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome?

Incontinentia pigmenti, also known as Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome, is a genetic disorder that affects skin pigmentation and has broader implications for various organs in the body. Other than affecting skin and hair, the condition impacts the central nervous system, eyes, teeth and skeletal system.

The symptoms of this syndrome include hair loss, small or missing teeth and eye abnormalities that can lead to vision loss. The condition progresses through four phases.

Jenna Lyons attends Bravo's 'The Real Housewives Of New York City' Season 14 Premiere at The Rainbow Room on July 12 in New York City (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Incontinentia pigmenti may cause widespread lesions in multiple organs. Neurologically, it can present itself in diverse forms, ranging from mild lifelong mental retardation to severe and life-threatening seizures in newborns. Additionally, the syndrome has been associated with ocular, dental, integumental, hematological and orthopedic defects.