Mikayla Matthews doesn’t have time for haters as she continues to battle chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) both publicly and privately.
“For everyone saying it’s just ‘rashes’ or minimizing the mental and physical toll severe skin conditions can have on someone, it can completely take away your quality of life, your will to live, and leave lasting effects on every part of your life.” Matthews, 25, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, May 20, clapping back at naysayers downplaying her health struggles.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star shared a video of her skin condition in various stages of irritation over the past four years, including breakouts on her neck, arms, back and puffiness around her eyes.
Mikayla Matthews Instagram/mikayla__matt
“Looking back at these videos is super triggering, but also such a reminder that healing is possible,” Matthews continued. “I remember being at my absolute lowest mentally and physically with my health like it was yesterday, and I would’ve begged to be where I’m at today. So for that, I’m so so grateful for the progress and continued healing🙏🏼.”
Matthews’ most recent video about her condition was posted as part of the current “drag path” social media trend where users refer to a traumatic or meaningful incident that has left a “drag path” to other moments in their life.
“A drag path … but it’s the 4 years of joy and time with my kids I was robbed of going through debilitating chronic illness,” Matthews wrote over the video showing her highs and lows with CIRS.
CIRS is an “innate immune dysregulation” involving “a range of symptoms that simultaneously [affect] multiple organ systems,” according to the National Library of Medicine.

Mikayla Matthews Instagram/mikayla__matt
Matthews, for her part, has been vocal about her health condition since her life as a Mormon wife in Utah was thrust into the spotlight on season 1 of the Hulu series in 2024.
Earlier this year, Matthews began traveling to different locations in the U.S. in hopes of healing her skin, telling her Instagram followers in April that she was “terrified” of returning to her home state of Utah after feeling relief in California and Costa Rica that spring.
Matthews explained on April 22 that after being away from home for a month, she felt “a little more normal without these flares.”
She broke down in her Instagram video, discussing how she’s “just surviving” in Utah, whereas she was actually “living” in the more tropical locations.

Mikayla Matthews in Hawaii. Courtesy of Mikayla Matthews/Instagram
Matthews plans to go to Europe later this year for a “detox retreat” and has offered to take one fan who also suffers from a skin condition along with her, all expenses paid.
For now, the reality star is living in Hawaii to “heal my skin.” Last month, Matthews documented her journey to Maui, bringing along two of her and husband Jace Terry’s four kids for the temporary stay.
On May 16, which was day 15 of her Hawaii healing journey, Terry, 31, flew to the island with their other two children for a family reunion.
“Finding peace😇 @waikoloabeachmarriott,” Matthews wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, May 19, sharing pictures of her family back together and enjoying their time by the beach.



