I’m Shae and I have a condition affecting the skin on my lips, which stemmed from dermatillomania, a skin picking disorder.
My visible difference has not only impacted my confidence, but also my mental health. Living with a chronic health condition has made it difficult to deal with the stress that naturally comes from studying at university and having a visible difference on top of this has been challenging.
I have experienced stares from strangers, and dealt with intrusive questions and comments from family, friends and people I work with. When you’re already very aware of how you look, this can make day-to-day life exhausting.
I hope that I will be able to talk about my visible difference and experiences more openly and regain the confidence that I lost when I was first diagnosed.
When people would comment on my skin, I used to shy away from the topic, but I am trying to handle these situations better now by owning my narrative more. No one has a right to know about my condition, so it’s important that I’m the one controlling the situation.
To try and build my confidence, I took part in the Changing Faces Peer Support Group for eight weeks. Meeting other people with a visible difference was so helpful. Being open and honest with each other about our experiences and feelings was so important for me. It made me realise that I am not alone and I have a supportive community around me.
In the future, I hope that I will be able to talk about my visible difference and experiences more openly and regain the confidence that I lost when I was first diagnosed. I also want to go into a line of work which supports the visible difference community. It would be amazing to help others who are going through similar experiences to me.
I hope that awareness continues to spread about visible differences, and that leads to greater understanding and awareness for our community.
