This Ashamed Girl Gives Motivational Speeches About Her Skin Condition

This Ashamed Girl Gives Motivational Speeches About Her Skin Condition

Crystal Hodges was born with a small red blotch across her face, settled on the left side of her face below the eye and covering the cheek. The skin condition, known as Port Wine Stain, is a form of birthmark that commonly appears on the face. It is the result of capillary malformation in the delicate skin of the face, which creates splotches of skin where blood flow is far heavier than with normal capillaries. The excess blood flow is visible from beneath the skin, which causes the dark areas of discoloration.

Port Wine Stain

It is estimated that about 1 in every 330 children is born with some form of Port Wine Stain. The condition is caused by capillary malformation in the face, which is the direct result of a gene mutation during gestation. Unfortunately, due to the random nature of the mutation, it is essentially impossible to actively prevent the condition.

Crystal Hodges received many laser skin treatments when she was an infant, but she has long since given up on them. She found them too painful and not worth the tiny difference they made in the size of her birthmark. Since there are no natural ways to combat the symptoms of the condition, she simply uses makeup to cover the birthmark to the best of her ability. However, she doesn’t cover the birthmark because she is ashamed of it. She does so because it creates a dramatic effect when she removes her makeup before an audience.

Dealing With Port Wine Stain

Since this condition is caused by a malfunction in gene translation, it is exceptionally difficult to treat. However, it is also not considered dangerous in any physiological way, so treatments aren’t necessary for any health-related reasons. Most infants who suffer from Port Wine Stain will be issued some form of treatment by choice of the parents, typically some form of laser skin treatment. These treatments are drug-free and only use high-density lightwaves to correct skin abnormalities.

Of course, even these treatments are often ineffective at completely removing Port Wine Stain. Many children are forced to grow up with the birthmark clearly visible, as was the case with Crystal Hodges. She has since found a new way to deal with the condition. She travels around giving motivational speeches to people of all varieties, showcasing the importance of staying true to who you are on the inside.

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Crystal’s decision to speak about her condition was sparked by a photo of hers that got shared through social media. The image was shared nearly 300,000 times, and while it received mostly positive comments, there were a few negatives mixed in. She knew from the general response that many people didn’t understand her condition. She decided right away that she would educate others with the truth. Her goal is to spread the word so that others know the condition doesn’t change who she is, nor does it define her. It is simply a part of her, just like any other aspect of her body.

Changing Perspective

Port Wine Stain is a condition that causes no real immediate harm, at least in a physical sense. There are no side effects related to the condition, and it cannot spread to others, or even other areas of the bodies of those affected. Some traditional medical treatments exist for the condition in the form of painful laser treatments.

There are no dietary or lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce the appearance of Port Wine Stain in an adult. Even though the condition represents a malfunction of something within the body, the result isn’t detrimental to the system at all. It is merely different.

Crystal Hodges is an example of how to properly react to a condition with no cure and little social exposure. Her goal is to educate others that the condition isn’t one that needs fixing. Instead, the normal perspective of society needs to embrace these individuals for their differences. Should someone experiencing Port Wine Stain decide to attempt to treat it, that should be their prerogative. Those who embrace the condition should be treated with equal respect. That is especially true for people like Crystal Hodges, who help educate others about the condition.

Webmd.com  Birthmark.org  Pappabuzz.com