Twin Cities Model Out To Prove Wrinkles Are Beautiful

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- All dolled up and striking a fierce pose, 26-year-old Sara Geurts has all the traits of the next big supermodel.

But there is one thing about the Golden Valley native and Robbinsdale Armstrong graduate that sets her apart, and it's catapulting her into the national spotlight.

Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at the age of 10, Geurts suffers from the genetic skin condition that doesn't just make her skin sag and wrinkle, but causes intense pain in her joints and body tissue.

"Pain was an everyday thing, and it is an everyday thing," she said. "I think that just because I was so aware of it at such a young age and I didn't want anyone to know about it, I didn't want to talk about it, so I just consistently kept it in and held it to myself."

The journey towards self-love and discovery wasn't easy.

Geurts only began modeling and showing off her skin two years ago after a bad break up.

"It was through that process that I really started to understand that because I wasn't happy with myself or my body, it affected my friendships and my relationships," Geurts said.

Now you can see her photos in publications from Glamour to Teen Vogue. In the glow of the limelight, she insists her one-woman body-positive movement isn't just about her.

"I would like to represent something that is real and that imperfections...they show that you have been on your own journey and no one else has those marks or has that story that has made you you," Geurts said.

Next month, Geurts will travel to Los Angeles to be featured in the pages of Volition Magazine.

Her photos are set to be published in their fall issue.