I used to hate my stretch marks (now I'd just prefer they weren't there)... I get them so easily! But my stomach looks like the surface of Europa so it's a nice comparison really.

Also I hate my face, I have this condition which means that I get a nervous system reaction instead of a salival reaction when I eat food. So every time I eat my entire face flushes bright red and I get covered in spots, yuk! I have meds for this tho which has really helped... but I still have a certain rosiness and very sensitive skin. Now I've gotten to the point where I use less makeup but I still absolutely can't leave the house without my makeup on!

As for the bikini thing... never would I wear one. It's too much like being in your underwear lol

A good thing about being different is a)I'm not the same as everyone else; and b)I know that my bf loves me for me and not for my body.

Scars n things are what make people interesting, they tell a story... and if you feel beautiful on the inside, it sure shows on the outside!

I used to give in to self pity about this alot. But I've learnt to accept that if I can't change something, what's the use in worrying about it? I've got more important things to do. But, I still hate my skin!

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

I know what you mean about the scars. I used to self-harm, and there are these nasty white scars all over my arms, legs, and abdomen. The freakiest part? I found out one day at a club that my scars (don't know if they all do this, but mine did) glow in blacklights. Lovely. So in the club where it's supposed to be all seductive and dark and make you look better,  I start to look like a slasher victim. Gorgeous. Sometimes it makes me sad, because it reminds me of a time when I was at my lowest, but other times I look at them and think, "if you can make it through that, you're a pretty strong kid, and you can DEFINITELY make it through ______." Depends on the day, I guess. 

Original Post by skinnyogi:

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

I do that too!  I don't know why it started (abuot 4 years ago), but once you get started it is SO hard to stop.  Sometimes I'm good and they heal, then one tiny little rough or hard spot, and it starts all over again.

It is so embarassing, and I always have bandaids on my fingers as a result.  People are always asking what I did to hurt myself, and it is so hard to explain.

Beauty shines from what's inside and scars can't take away from that unless you allow them to. I have a scar on my face from my eyebrow to the bottom of my nose and although it's healed very well, it's always there. I also have a 6 inch scar on my back that shows in most evening dresses and all bathing suits. I don't let that stop me from going swiming or buying a low back dress. Most of the time people don't even ask about it. It only becomes a big deal if I make it a big deal. And yes, I consider myself beautiful!

Oh boy, I have a few non-weight related body issues that I can get off my chest!

1 - My face. I always have zits!! I don't have a ton at once, but always have 2 or 3 new ones along with 2 or 3 half healed. I have tried almost everything imaginable, except accutane. I refuse to go on that because it screws up other parts of your body, including your liver. If I wear makeup to cover them I break out even horribly, so all I can wear is eyeshadow and mascara.

2 - My ears. When I get embarrassed, nervous, hot or anything else my ears turn BRIGHT red. This may not sound too bad, but my ears are pretty large and stick out so it looks pretty funny. I really hate it because everyone always makes comments, which only embarrasses me and makes them turn redder.

3 - My armpits and feet. I have a medical condition called hyperhydrosis, which basically means I sweat like crazy. I put on deoderant/antiperspirant like 4 times a day! I try to wear dark colored light fabric shirts or sleeveless cause they do the best job of disguising my problem. I have tried prescription antiperspirant but it burns and is unbearably itchy. My other option is botox injections, which would be very expensive, short lasting and apparently painful in those areas. My feet stink so horribly, especially in the summer time that it is extremely embarrassing. I MUST wash my feet immediately after taking off my shoes!

I have an asymmetrical smile. I didn't realize it until my orthodontist (who I feel has always hated me for some unknown reason) said something about my tongue slanting to one side and pushing against my teeth and that I'd never be able to fix this unless I had jaw surgery or wore some kind of tongue cage (wtf?). I had no issues with my mouth until he told me things and I went home and cried.

My eyebrows are mismatched from all my anxious over-plucking, my face has acne scarring from cysts that will never go away so wear makeup everyday because I can't stand to see my complexion, my nose perpetually has these little blackheads, my feet have this weird gap between my big toe and my second toe (It's big enough for another toe to fit in there).. that's all I can think of at the moment..

I used to seriously hate my pale skin and the fact that I could never get tan- just burn and go back to white.  I'm over it now.

Original Post by skinnyogi:

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

YEP! Me too!

I can't stop :( And sometimes it really hurts. I'm not as bad as when I was a kid - I used to bite my nails til they bled...eww - but I'm still always nibbling away.

Original Post by luna6517:

OK, yeah, I glare at my pudgy spots a good deal. A lot, actually.

But what really has me tearing up every time I took in a mirror is all my scars. I mean, I have virtually no skin from the neck down that isn't covered in scars.

I have stretch marks on my shoulder, chest, back, stomach, butt, and legs from prolonged use of steroids (for medical purposes), a long purple scar on the front of my left leg from falling down when I had virtually no blood count (therefore the wound never scabbed over, just became this spongy purplish thing), a long pink line on my left shoulder from a partial replacement, smaller ones on my right shoulder from a core decompression (drill little holes in the bone so the body will hopefully repair itself, rather than needing a second replacement), and puckered skin on my chest from a few different central lines.

It doesn't matter how much weight I lose, or how toned I get. I will never be able to wear a bikini and consider myself beautiful.

Oh, wow. I haven't given in to the self-pity in a long time. I apologize for being the recipient of the long-awaited pity fest.

I also have stretch marks from medicinal steroid use. After visiting one of those expensive spas to talk about laser treatment the lovely lady there told me it’s cost me $5000 a session and I’d need maybe 3-4 sessions. Yeah right! After picking my jaw from off the floor I promptly told the lady that this is where I learn to love more of myself. What else can you do? They are there to stay. Glad to see I’m not the only sufferer though.

Original Post by shinybiscuit:

Original Post by skinnyogi:

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

YEP! Me too!

I can't stop :( And sometimes it really hurts. I'm not as bad as when I was a kid - I used to bite my nails til they bled...eww - but I'm still always nibbling away.

 For all 3 people who posted something about this there is actually a mental disorder that causes you to pick at parts of your sking despite how painful it might be. I don't remember much about, but I think you guys should look into it.

Original Post by skinnyogi:

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

I pull  my toenails off.  I sit on my feet and if I'm ot wearing close-toed shoes I will pull of my baby toenails (and more recently the next toe, too).  It's weird.  I don't know why I do it but it started back in college and it's never stopped.  I think it's an extension of biting my nails or something.

I hate the little red bumps on my arms.  I got them when I hit puberty and I've been to many a dermatologist to fix them (once I was given an acidic lotion for them!  It burned).  Anyways, when I did JV cheerleading I had to sit shoulder to shoulder with this other girl and apparently my arms were "dusgusting!" and "itchy!".

I don't touch people anymore.  No really...I hate touching people now because I'm afraid it will be gross or weird (not just arms anymore). 

It made me really self-conscious.

Original Post by kaffwynn:

Original Post by skinnyogi:

I pick at my fingers and it's incredibly embarrassing that I've turned them in to these scar-riddled appendages. I have nice enough hands, small and nicely shaped, but the finger tips are red and scabby. :/

I do that too!  I don't know why it started (abuot 4 years ago), but once you get started it is SO hard to stop.  Sometimes I'm good and they heal, then one tiny little rough or hard spot, and it starts all over again.

It is so embarassing, and I always have bandaids on my fingers as a result.  People are always asking what I did to hurt myself, and it is so hard to explain.

 Me too.. i bit and pick them.. I use to get fake nail tips done so i wouldnt but its soo expensive.. My boyfriend can't stand it.. Nervous habbit maybe.. I bite the inside of my mouth too. awful i hate it

I totally understand how any one of us can chip away at our self-esteem by looking only at what is wrong with us.

I do it all the time.  AND THEN, I think of people with real problems.  People, children facing cancer, or who are burn victims and other such tragedies. 

It helps me put my 'self' into perspective.  I realize I'll always have a body part not to be happy with.  As a woman of 53, I really need to appreciate what I do have, because I've spent too many years putting myself down.

This, as simple as it sounds, is not an easy task.  For some strange reason I 'believe' if I appreciate or even G*d forbid think something nice about myself, "IT" will be taken away from me.  Sounds crazy, yes?

Maybe it's time we all take a deep breath and be thankful for a few more of what life has offered us.

r

p.s. I know this sounds like b.s. to some of you reading this.  Truth is I need to see this for myself!

I totally understand.  I have lost over 100lbs and i have stretch marks every where, so much so that they all blend together and just become a texture after while.  And i've also had to have plastic surgery because the skin on the chest/breasts/underarms never  went  back.  As a result I have two scars up my sides.  I am dramatically better, and actually look normal with clothes on.  but due to the condition of the skin I am no where near perfect and never will be.  I will always have a problem taking off my shirt in public and I've never done it before actually.

But this is who I am now. Sure you get mad and even furious sometimes but its good to know there are others out there.

Original Post by flygirl152:

3 - My armpits and feet. I have a medical condition called hyperhydrosis, which basically means I sweat like crazy. I put on deoderant/antiperspirant like 4 times a day! I try to wear dark colored light fabric shirts or sleeveless cause they do the best job of disguising my problem. I have tried prescription antiperspirant but it burns and is unbearably itchy. My other option is botox injections, which would be very expensive, short lasting and apparently painful in those areas. My feet stink so horribly, especially in the summer time that it is extremely embarrassing. I MUST wash my feet immediately after taking off my shoes!

My coworker's adult child had this same condition with her hands.  She had this surgery where they pinch/burn/somehow deactivate a nerve in her neck which relieved the sweating.  The Dr claims a 100% success rate. 

As for my non-weight related issue...  I have that condition where you can draw on your skin.  I can write my name on my arm and a few seconds later I will have raised welts where I scratched.  I subconsciously scratch.  So I always have some sort of red marks on my arms, neck, and face prompting people to ask if I'm ok.  I have medication for it, and actually it is kinda unique so I've gotten over it.