Reality television personality Mikayla Matthews is providing followers with an intimate look at her challenging health journey as she pursues treatment options across multiple locations. The 26-year-old star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been documenting her experience through social media, offering candid updates about the physical and emotional toll of managing chronic illness without a definitive diagnosis.
In a TikTok video posted on Thursday, April 30, Matthews described the intensity of her current situation while revealing plans for international treatment. "This itself has been a very intense, traumatic experience. I feel like there's a reason I'm going through this," she stated in the video, which noted her upcoming travel to Europe for a detox retreat. "I think like every single day how grateful I am to be in the position that I'm in."
The emotional weight of her health challenges was evident as Matthews reflected on the resources available to her. "I could not imagine not being in a place financially that I'm in right now or having the support that I have and having to go through this alone," she said tearfully in the video.
Earlier this week, Matthews confirmed her relocation to Hawaii as part of her treatment plan. The move represents a significant step in addressing both an unspecified skin condition and an unknown chronic illness that have plagued her for several years. The decision to seek care in Hawaii underscores the severity of her condition and the lengths she is willing to go to find relief.
Matthews has committed to transparency throughout this phase of her health journey. In a follow-up TikTok video shared on Friday, May 1, she outlined her documentation plans. "I feel like I'm in a very transformative period of my health right now, making really big changes," she explained. "I want to show my skin how it is and how it's changing. I will be vlogging every single day and starting every video with a skin update."
True to her word, Matthews provided an update on Saturday, May 2, during what she labeled "Day 3 in Hawaii." The video offered insight into her current treatment approach and progress. "I've been limiting moisture because I want my natural oils to come through," she said. "[I don't] have any redness, just dryness. I think the leg dryness is way better. … It doesn't hurt, it's just dry now. I'm going to hop in the shower, put my lotion on, exfoliate and then we're going to go in the ocean."
The reality star, who shares four children with estranged husband Jace Terry, has been managing chronic illness for several years without receiving a concrete diagnosis. This lack of medical clarity has added frustration to an already difficult situation.
In a 2024 interview with Us Weekly, Matthews discussed the challenges of navigating her condition without definitive answers. "[I] haven't found any answers yet," she told the publication. "I'm a lot better than I was, but I still have my ups and downs, so it's just frustrating to not get any answers and feel like I'm on my own and then have to navigate being in this really exciting time while not feeling my best, and so that's kind of been the trickiest."
The health issues have significantly impacted Matthews' ability to fulfill her parenting responsibilities. She described particularly difficult periods when physical symptoms became debilitating. "There was the time where the back of my legs and every crease was cut and bleeding, and I could barely even stand up and walk and take care of my kids," she recalled. "That was a really hard time. I feel like my confidence was at an all time low. I feel, like, my quality of life wasn't great because I could barely do anything."
Matthews' decision to share her health journey publicly reflects a broader trend among public figures using their platforms to raise awareness about chronic illness. Her daily documentation provides followers with an unfiltered view of the realities of managing undiagnosed conditions while maintaining professional and personal responsibilities. As she continues treatment in Hawaii and prepares for her European detox retreat, Matthews remains hopeful that answers and relief may finally be within reach.