A young woman has bravely bared the large birthmark that covers most of her stomach and thighs in a bid to show that being unique is beautiful.
Mathilde Arctander, 22, from Stavanger, Norway, has endured years of cruel comments and stares, but insists she would never dream of getting her birthmark removed.
The occupational therapy student and keen artist always knew she had birthmarks, but it wasn’t until she hit her teens that she started to notice other people’s funny looks with some questioning what was ‘wrong’ with her.
Mathilde has Congential Melanocytic Nevus (CMN), a type of birthmark covering more than 2 per cent of the body and normally affecting the head, legs and arms.
After years of hiding away under baggy clothes, Mathilde has decided to embrace her birthmark – and is keen to encourage others with the condition to do the same
Today, the artist and painter has learned to embrace her individuality after getting fed-up of hiding her skin under big swimsuits and baggy clothes – and says she would never get rid of her unique marks.
On her social media accounts she has urged others to follow suit and #bareyourbirthmark.
Mathilde said: ‘I always knew that I had birthmarks, but when I was around 13 years old, people stared at me. I wasn’t bullied a lot but I often thought, “what’s wrong, why do I have these birthmarks,” which wasn’t fun.
‘In the beginning, I think it was a bit much. Now, I don’t even notice that people stare at me. I understand why they may stare and wonder what I have on my body, but I don’t know why they don’t just ask me.
Mathilde has Congential Melanocytic Nevus (CMN), a type of birthmark covering more than 2 per cent of the body and normally affecting the head, legs and arms
Mathilde, pictured here on Norway’s Kvalvika beach, bravely bared her birthmark this summer by posing for a bikini snap – after years of covering up under baggy clothes
Brave: The artist and painter has learned to embrace her individuality after getting fed-up of hiding her skin under big swimsuits and baggy clothes – and says she would never get rid of her unique marks
‘I am unique. I may not be normal, I don’t have normal skin, and that’s OK. My birthmarks are a part of me, and I wouldn’t get rid of them.’
Mathilde added: ‘I no longer wake up each morning and wonder why I have them. My birthmarks are a part of me and I wouldn’t get rid of them if I had the choice.
‘When I look at other people with birthmarks I find them so beautiful too, because each of us look different and that’s so cool.
‘I guess it was because I was tired of hiding it. For many years I used to wear a big swimsuit instead of a bikini.
‘When I began to show my big birthmark at the beach to everyone, they said that I was brave and beautiful. Thanks to them I am stronger.’
Mathilde and has attended conferences in the United States to meet others living with CMN. She says she has never counted all the birthmarks on her body but knows she has ‘a lot’.
Mathilde says of her unique look: ‘I am unique. I may not be normal, I don’t have normal skin, and that’s OK. My birthmarks are a part of me, and I wouldn’t get rid of them’
The artist says: ‘I no longer wake up each morning and wonder why I have them. My birthmarks are a part of me and I wouldn’t get rid of them if I had the choice’
‘When I look at other people with birthmarks I find them so beautiful too,’ says Mathilde, ‘because each of us look different and that’s so cool’
Mathilde and has attended conferences in the United States to meet others living with CMN. She says she has never counted all the birthmarks on her body but knows she has ‘a lot’
On her social media accounts she has urged others to follow suit and #bareyourbirthmark
‘I have been to nevus outreach conferences in the USA several times and have met others with CMN,’ she said.
‘Some of them cover themselves up with lots of foundation because maybe they are afraid of what other people think of their birthmarks.
‘If you have CMN, don’t try to cover it with makeup, be natural.
‘And get to know others with it too. It will build your confidence up and then you won’t care about those who do not understand how nice birthmarks are. You are unique.’