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A musician, who used to be relentlessly bullied over her skin condition, now proudly shows off her scars.
Sarah Fremgen, from Tennessee, US, was 14 years old when she started to notice spot-shaped scars on her face, which she first passed off as pimples.
Later the scars began to harden, which led her mom to take her to a dermatologist, who diagnosed it as keloid disorder – the formation of a type of scar composed of collagen.
“I actually thought my scars were pimples that just wouldn’t go away, but when they became hard and couldn’t be treated, my mom took me to a dermatologist. I was officially diagnosed when I was about sixteen,” Sarah says.
“As a teenage girl the last thing you want is something wrong with your face, so of course I was embarrassed and confused. In our society, there’s a certain expectation of what normal looks like, and I didn’t meet that.”
Sarah (29), who also works as a support specialist and technician, was relentlessly bullied at school for her appearance, which caused her to feel embarrassed and insecure.
“The emotional trauma didn’t really settle in until I started getting bullied at school. I grew up in a small town as a teenager, so I stood out, and kids, of course, can be mean.
“I definitely used to hide. I’d avoid going places. I tried to pull my hair over my face and wore lots of make-up.”
She suffered from depression and dysmorphia and even considered suicide.
“The stares and rude comments got so bad I suffered from depression, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders.
“The only thing I felt I had control over was my size, so I would try to lose weight to compensate. I spent a lot of time isolating and in a deep depression. I contemplated suicide many times.”
But when she realised that most people appreciated her authenticity, it motivated Sarah to start embracing her scars and accept her appearance.
“I could be a source of low self-esteem and embarrassment, or I could be a source of inspiration and hope. I chose inspiration and hope.
“I can honestly say, I am so at rest with who I am. Being able to embrace your own beauty allows you to truly see and embrace others, so that brings me joy,” she says.
In 2014 Sarah married the love of her life and she credits her husband and family for her positive outlook on life.
“It took time, but I honestly attribute it to my faith and love and support from family. I came to a place where I could either live in shame and fear or see what good could come from my life through this.
“I do have bad days where I wish I was normal sometimes, but those hard moments only remind me that I have the opportunity to relate to others,” she says.
By sharing her story, Sarah hopes to inspire people to embrace their scars and differences.
“In real life, real things happen; hurt happens, wounds happen, scars happen, and we shouldn’t have to apologise for it, but rather embrace the beauty of an authentic story,” she says.
“I wanted to inspire others to do the same thing. Beauty shouldn’t have a limit, a box, or an expiration date.
“The greatest beauty you’ll leave behind is not what people saw when they looked at you, but how you made them feel.”
Source: Magazine Features
