Are your scars your biggest insecurity?

“What happened to your skin?”

I used to get asked this a lot.

Shame, embarrassment, and disgust.

These are a few words to describe how people feel about their eczema scars.

Over the last few months and weeks, I’ve received a lot of emails from people asking me what they can use to make their eczema scars go away faster, or how they can get rid of their eczema scars.

One person even asked me “Do you still have scars?” So I thought it would be time for me to answer this question publicly and share with you all that, yes, I still do have scars.

..Where do I have them?

I have them on my neck, hands, arms, legs, and feet.

Because of the severity of my condition before (and having had eczema for over 20 years!), it’s taken a long time for the scars to fade away; some have faded, and some are still there.

And I want you to know that as much as I practice saying affirmations everyday, there are times when I slip and get discouraged when I see someone with beautiful flawless skin.

I wish I could be that strong person who never felt self-conscious about their scarring, but I really still do. In fact, I just want to be honest and open with the fact that I struggle with it.

A part of me feels envious and really wishes that I had never had eczema, or that I never had to go through such trauma in my life. Of course, there are times when it really doesn’t bother me too much – because I just don’t care. And of course, I’ll still wear dresses, tank tops, and shorts in hot weather 🙂

But recently it hit me.

I watched a video where a young man had filmed his biggest insecurity: his loose skin (watch it below it’s so real and amazing!). He used to be obese, and through diet and lifestyle change, he had successfully dropped from 360 lbs to 200 lbs. When he lost his weight, he thought the skin would tighten around his body too, but instead, he was left with loose, hanging skin, that he was incredibly insecure about.

In the video, he takes off his shirt and becomes vulnerable enough to show the world his “loose” skin leftover from his extreme weight loss. He made the video to show the parts of his body that he was most insecure and uncomfortable about.

He wants to show people that the scarring and loose skin left over from his weight loss journey is not ideal, but that’s OKAY.

He made the  video to let people know that they shouldn’t let their skin insecurities stop them from chasing their dreams.

…And his own dream is to be very happy in his skin. He wants this dream for others, and in fact, he says he’s gotten to the point where he’s happy about his skin and he’s PROUD of what he’s gone through.

Surgeons have even offered to give him a free surgery (if not, it would be extremely expensive to get it done!) to remove the excess fat off his skin.

You know what his response was on The Ellen Show? (watch his response below!)

He said that he didn’t want to get surgery to remove the fat from his skin, even though doctors offered it to him for free. He said he made the video because he wanted to show the world that he’s proud of his achievements and that he’s comfortable in his own skin.

I was impressed at his attitude. His thinking. And his positivity.

In fact – I can tell you now, that his scars are his battle scars. They remind him of what he’s been through and what he’s come out of.

In the same way, I want to teach you and encourage you not to be afraid or repulsed by your scars.

Yes, it’s embarrassing when people see it and ask you about it. Yes, it doesn’t look pretty and you feel self-conscious about it.

BUT – they’re your battle scars, and they’re a sign of what you’ve been through. They’re a reminder of how strong you are, how courageous you’ve been, and what you’ve endured.

So the next time you feel repulsed by your scars, also be reminded of the beauty that lies behind the story of your scars.

Not many people understand what it’s like to have eczema, and not everyone can go through something so tough. But you did. So don’t underestimate yourself and how strong you are. You’ve been through more than what most people have.

The next time you feel like someone’s looking at your eczema scars or you feel embarrassed and self conscious about it – just be reminded of how courageous you are to endure so much in your life.

You are nothing short of strong.

Embrace the beauty and the story behind your scars. 🙂

I know if weren’t for my scars and my eczema story, I wouldn’t be standing here encouraging and inspiring you all to keep moving forward each day.

P.S. And like I always say, believe with faith that you’ll be healed, and that it’s coming. Faith will attract you to healing. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

With love and blessings,

xo
Abby

How do you feel about your scars? Leave a comment below and share!

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P.S. Check out my resource page for a full list of Products I Love! Or check out “The Eczema Cure” book for more information on healing eczema from the inside out.

Biography

Abby is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who helps clients achieve optimal health. She is passionate about seeing people use health and nutrition to transform lives. She hopes that her experiences can help educate others on natural remedies that will help eczema. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube or Instagram for more updates!