Growing up, I got teased a lot about my acne scars. It was a struggle. I didn’t want people to see how I looked, so I wore hats, hoods, grew my hair out- anything to cover my face. I hated myself because of the scars on my face. The scars hindered me from having and making friends. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t have face-to-face conversations or even eye contact with anyone. I used to avoid making eye contact even with my significant. I was ashamed and I blamed myself for my scars. I felt jealous of other people who had clear skin.
A lot of my classmate criticized me throughout middle school. I took their criticism seriously and I started believing them. I used many products for acne scar treatment, but none of them worked. I was frustrated and wanted to get a laser treatment, which would have required attending three months worth of sessions. I was mad at myself because I could not afford the treatment.
I took my mother’s advice that accepting myself would make me truly the most wonderful person. So, I tried not to judge myself and realized that I should stop feeling sorry for myself. If there’s one person that could cure this illness, it has to be me. Now, I have grown into appreciating who I am and slowly discovering the meaning of being me. I became very optimistic, gained more friends, and most of all I began feeling accepted by everyone. My face may not be perfect, like the others, but my face brings me joy because people remember me despite the acne scars. They manage to pass through that as if I have normal skin. They remember me not for what I look like but for who I am. This is why I thank my face.