Harrowing new photographs show White Island survivor's remarkable journey of burns to her back

Stephanie Browitt suffered burns to 70 per cent of her body

A White Island volcano survivor has posted photos revealing the dramatic improvements to her back after undergoing a series of skin grafts.

Stephanie Browitt, 24, suffered burns to 70 per cent of her body in the 2019 eruption near Whakatane in New Zealand, and also had her fingers amputated.

Her father Paul and her younger sister Krystal were among 22 tourists who died in the horrific natural disaster that made headlines across the world.

Ms Browitt spent nine months painstakingly recovering in hospital before returning to her home in Melbourne where she lives with her mother Marie.

It’s been a long and harrowing road to recovery for the brave young woman, who regularly shares her personal journey living with disfiguring injuries to her 47,000 Instagram followers.

Ms Browitt suffered horrific burns in the White Island Volcano eruption. Pictured taken in August 2020

White Island volcano survivor, Ms Browit, posted photos revealing the dramatic improvements to her back after getting skin grafts. The photo on the left was taken in September 2020 and the photo on the right was taken in November 2020

Dramatic improvements can be seen in April 2021 after Ms Browitt underwent a series of skin grafts

‘One of the areas of my body I was most upset about was my back, but witnessing the large improvements with my skin astounds me,’ she said.

‘I didn’t believe much could be done or change but of course I underestimated my own body and the teams that work on me.’

Four photographs taken throughout the second half of last year compared to this week reveal how the ‘thick webbing of scars’ is showing signs of healing.

‘As my hospital weight naturally falls off the indents that separate my normal skin from the grafts are becoming less noticeable and more even,’ she said.

‘The thick webbing of scars is also beginning to break down in thickness and colour, thanks to time but also laser.

Stephanie (right) lost her father Paul (left) and her sister Krystal in the blast on December 9, 2019

‘The redness on my normal skin around the burns is where they took donor skin from to perform my skin grafts and they have also lightened in colour.’

The brave survivor said she’s ‘actually shocked at how amazing the latest photo is in comparison to earlier on’.

‘It’s a long journey but a very rewarding one and photos like these remind me why the hard work is worth going through. For other survivors, the hard work pays off,’ she said.

Before the tragedy, more than 18,000 tourists would visit the White Island volcano each year.

There were 14 Australians killed in the eruption.

Ms Browitt is among 26 survivors of the blast and now wears a face mask to protect her skin. 

Ms Browitt (pictured) spent nine months painstakingly recovering in hospital before returning to her home in Melbourne where she lives with her mother Marie 

Ms Browitt is among 26 survivors of the blast and now wears a face mask to protect her skin