Scoliosis sufferer Ayesha Jones turned model QUITS as ‘beauty comes from within’


  • Ayesha Jones, 24, suffers from scoliosis -which makes her spine curved
  • At age 13 doctors advised a risky operation to put a metal rod in her back 
  • Doctor said she would be a ‘pretty girl with an ugly back’ without surgery
  • Determined to prove him wrong, she worked hard to become a model
  • This involved posing to hide her curved spine and wonky shoulder in photos
  • On one shoot a designer turned her away as her back was unsightly
  • She quit modelling as it made her realise focusing on looks is not healthy
  • Studied photography and had become a freelance visual artist 
  • Now wants to inspire other girls it’s OK to have a curved spine

Madlen Davies for MailOnline

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A girl born with a curved spine spent years defying expectations to become a model – before finally giving it up after realising focusing on looks is superficial.

Ayesha Jones, 24, suffers from scoliosis and was told by her doctor she would be a ‘pretty girl with an ugly back’ without invasive surgery.

But Ms Jones, from Birmingham, decided to prove the doctor wrong by working hard to become a successful model without undergoing the risky operation to correct her spine.

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Ayesha Jones, 24, suffers from scoliosis – which makes her spine curved (left) – and gave up a successful modelling career (right) to become a visual artist after realising ‘beauty comes from within’

Ms Jones was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 13. She was advised to have an invasive operation to put a metal rod into her back, but opted for more holistic treatments such as back exercises

Though she was working as a model, one designer turned away Ms Jones even though she had travelled miles down to London, because he said her back was unsightly

However, when a designer brutally made her leave a photo shoot because he thought her back was unsightly, Ms Jones quit modelling to become a visual artist.

She realised that focusing on superficial looks is not healthy, and through her art and photography, wants to show other scoliosis sufferers it’s OK to have a curved back.

Ms Jones said: ‘Looking back, modelling was a way to prove that I was beautiful. I didn’t want the doctor’s remarks to come true.

‘I worked my socks off to become a model and put all my efforts into proving that, in spite of my back, I was just as hot as everyone else.

‘But I came to realise over time that my body is my shell and as long as it is healthy, I’m good.

‘I want to inspire other young women to do something meaningful rather than just want to look attractive for a living.’

When Ms Jones was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 13, when on holiday in Saint Kitts in the West Indies, her mother noticed her right shoulder blade was poking out more than the left from the back.

her website.

For more information on scoliosis visit Scoliosis Association UK. 

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