It’s hard to love your body as a teen. Many people struggle with body image throughout their lives, whether they feel like they could lose a few pounds or dislike their acne. All these people can take a cue from 19-year-old Ciera Swaringen from North Carolina, who is done with feeling ashamed of her body
Ciera was born with a rare condition called giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN), giving her large, mole-like birthmarks covering over two-thirds of her body. The largest one stretching from her navel to her lower thighs. GCMN, which affects one in every 500,000 people, has no cure, and there’s not much doctors can do in the way of treatment either.
For years, Swaringen was tormented by bullies, being told she looked dirty or different. She told the Daily Mail about some of her peers’ comments:
Teenage boys are usually the first ones to comment when they see me. They say things like, “You look like you’re dirty, take a wash.”
Instead of hide her condition, Ciera decided to accept and embrace her body. At the start of the summer, aka bikini season, posted this pic on Instagram. Since, her feed has been full of selfies and pictures in her swimsuit.
Check out photos of the beauty below.
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