For many professional influencers, every effort is made to sustain a façade of perpetual perfection: the slicker the better, with everything from fit checks to family pictures polished and staged. 

The stresses behind keeping up with such an impossible standard are vast and – as social media evolves as both medium and mirror – many are finding that the most effective way to connect with followers and fans is by releasing that sheen and allowing themselves to be truly seen, scars and all.