Narnia Actor Opens Up About Having 'Flesh-Eating' Disease: What Is It?

Necrotising Fasciitis is a bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body, and damages the layers of the skin.

Necrotising Fasciitis is a bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body, and damages the deep layers of the skin.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Georgie Henley, 27, best known for her role as Lucy Pevensie in 'The Chronicles Of Narnia', recently opened up about having necrotising fasciitis – more popularly known as the 'flesh-eating disease.'

In an Instagram post, the actor wrote about contracting the infection when she was an 18-year-old, and confided that she could speak about it only now.

What Is Flesh-Eating Disease?

According to National Health Services (NHS), "Necrotising fasciitis, also known as the "flesh-eating disease", is a rare and life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected."

It is a bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body, and damages the deep layers of the skin. The infection may get into the body through cuts, burns, scratches, and even insect bites and requires immediate medical help.

Those with diabetes and a weak immune system are at higher risk of contracting this infection.

Henley mentioned in the post that the infection "nearly claimed my (her) life and brought havoc throughout my (her) body."

Symptoms Of Flesh-Eating Disease

The symptoms of necrotising fasciitis develop over the span of a few hours or a few days. The symptoms, as mentioned by NHS, involve:

• Intense pain or numbness near a wound

• Swelling of the skin around the wound

• Fever, headache, confusion

• Vomiting and diarrhoea

• Black, purple, or grey blotches on the skin

Treatment Received By Henley

Since the infection can be fatal, it must be treated immediately.

According to CDC, "Accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment, and prompt surgery are important to stopping this infection." However, even after a successful treatment, there may be long-term changes in how the body looks.

Along with thanking Addenbrooke’s Hospital for their care, the actor also wrote in the Instagram post:

"In order to prevent the amputation of my left hand and arm I received gruelling invasive surgery, and later extensive reconstructive surgery which resulted in a series of skin grafts and scars."

The actor also added how she has always tried to hide these scars in public because of the 'perfection' that the industry demands, but added that "there is no such thing as perfection."