Teen Born with Birthmarks covering her Body says she’s Learned to Love her Skin

A North Carolina teen who was born with a rare skin condition is speaking out after enduring years of bullying before learning to embrace her individuality.

Ciera Swaringen, who was born with a constellation of dark-colored birthmarks covering her body, says it's her uniqueness that brings the cruelness out of some people.

"One day I remember being on the school bus and hearing a young boy laugh at me and call me a 'spotty dog,'" the 19-year-old recalled to HotSpot media.

 

"Over time I've learnt to brush off negative comments and remember that most people stare and say cruel things because they're not used to seeing someone with my condition," she said.

Growing up in Richfield, a small town of about 600 people located northeast of Charlotte, also helped, she said.

"People in my town don't bat an eye when they see me now, as they know me. But if I go somewhere new, it's not so easy," she said.

At birth Ciera, the youngest of three girls, was diagnosed with giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a condition which causes oversized moles to form on her body.

Only about one in every 500,000 births are said to have the kind of nevus, or birthmarks, she does while one in every 50 to 100 births have small melanocytic nevus, according to Nevus Outreach.

Her mother called the spots "angel kisses," she recalled.

Surgically removing them is not possible as there are too many and their number is expected to increase throughout her life.

Fortunately the birthmarks are said to be non-life-threatening, though she is recommended to wear heavy sunscreen to prevent melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.

Today, years after enduring her first vicious jeers and jabs from other kids, Ciera says she's learned to see the beauty in her skin with the ornate patterns making her totally unique from anyone else.

But what's especially helped, she said, is learning about others who have the same condition as she does online.

"Everyone is born to look different, and we should all feel beautiful in our own skin," she said.