13 Girls Get Real About Their Body Image Issues
You know you should love your body just the way it is. Some days are probably easier than others — one day, you're grateful for your strong legs that look amazing in your new jeans, and the next, you catch the underside of your chin at a weird angle in your phone's front-facing camera and it bums you out.
Here's the thing: no two bodies are exactly alike, and there's no "right" way to be beautiful. You only get one body in life. The sooner you realize how freaking amazing yours is, the more time you have to love it. That's not always an easy thing to do, but it helps to know that you aren't alone. Not everyone is born with total body confidence, but part of the journey is realizing that everyone (even seemingly "perfect" celebs, models, and friends) have their insecurities.
Seventeen.com spoke to 13 girls about the body image insecurities that keep them up at night, plus the strategies and positive thoughts that help them cope.
1. "I'm insecure about these stretch marks on my thighs, especially during swimsuit season. But as time goes on, I'm realizing that they're part of me and that's okay. The way I try to think of it: there's always someone out there to love that one thing you're most insecure about, so don't worry about it at all. It's just how you are and it's perfectly fine." — Mels, 16
2. "I've had a bad outlook on my body for nearly five years. I'm lankier and less busty than most girls my age. I still have times when I feel unattractive and have the worst image of myself, but I just try to remember that everyone's body develops in a different way and that my body is proportionate and fine just the way it is." — Emma, 18
3. "I've been bullied for having darker skin since elementary school. I started to hate my appearance and become socially withdrawn. I almost went so far as to bleach my skin before my friend stepped in to intervene. She made me realize that my skin isn't the problem — it was other people's perceptions. Embracing my skin tone has gotten easier as the media has started to show more diversity. I like to surround myself with images on Tumblr and Instagram that prove that dark skin is wonderful. Representation matters so much." — Monica, 20
4. "I'm insecure about my round face. It's kind of chubby, and when I smile, I get big cheeks. I haven't 100 percent embraced it, but that's something I'm working on. I try to focus on the things I do like about myself, like my bright blue eyes." — W., 15
5. "I've always been incredibly insecure about my nose. The teasing got so bad during my freshman year of high school (think being referred to as Big Bird and getting chirped at) that I begged my parents to let me either transfer schools or get homeschooled because I couldn't handle it anymore. Eventually, one of my friends told off the main bullies and they left me alone for the rest of high school, but it was still a pretty scarring experience. I begged my mom for plastic surgery every single week. One thing that made me more confident was finding other beautiful women with noses like mine. Every time I'd see Lea Michele (who is absolutely gorgeous) in Glee, I'd smile because if she could rock it, so could I! To this day, I still point out people with similar noses on TV. It's a coping mechanism for me. I'm at the point now where I'm content with my nose. I kind of like that it's a bit different from everyone else's." — Francesca, 21
6. "I used to feel super insecure and embarrassed about my freckles. I used to try and cover them all up with pounds of foundation and edit them out of pictures. I thought my life would be so much better if I just didn't have them. I was letting such a small thing take over the way I felt about myself. When I started seeing celebrities like Kylie Jenner posting makeup-free selfies that showed freckles, I was so shocked! It made me think about all the time I had wasted being down on myself. These freckles are a part of me and make me different. I'm learning to love them. Lately, I've been trying to not cover them up." — Lindsey, 15
7. "I used to love my hair. It was past my shoulders. But then I was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin's lymphoma my senior year of high school. I started shedding like crazy. I had to cut my hair so that it's really short. Some days, I wake up and think I look really good, and other days, I think I look like a guy. And it's sad to see more of my hair falling out. It's hard for me to go through chemotherapy and not know if one day I'll be completely bald. I'm going to get a wig soon. I try my hardest every day to wake up with a smile on my face because I know the day will eventually come when the doctor tells me I'm cured." — Alexis, 18
8. "I don't love my stomach. I've always dreamed of having that perfect 'Instagram' body to look perfect in pictures. And there are times when I blame my body as the reason I'm not in a relationship. I close off opportunities all the time out of fear that I'm not beautiful enough or good enough, but the only person that hurts is me. I'm learning that loving who you are physically isn't just an overnight process. Every day is a new day to continue the journey of loving yourself. Don't look at your flaws as a downfall. Embrace the sh*t out of them!" — Mikayla, 20
9. "I'm 5'8". I definitely embrace my height now, but I used to be such a drama queen and complain that no man would want to marry me because I'm too tall. That makes me laugh now, because who even cares what a guy thinks if I'm happy with myself? Finding my own personal style has been the best thing for my self-esteem. In high school, I would never have thought to try flared jeans, but now, I can't even explain to you how great I feel in them. I wear things that make me feel good and complement my height." — Chloe, 20
10. "I was born with a red, round 'cherry' birthmark on the left side of my lip. I was bullied for it from elementary school to high school. I used to cry every day. Around fourth grade, I discovered the beauty community on YouTube. Seeing all different types of girls applying makeup helped me make friends and meet people who could relate to me. Although I still feel uncomfortable with my birthmark sometimes, I like the fact that I'm unique. I wouldn't be who I am without it." — Lina, 19
11. "I have a lot of skin issues that I'm really insecure about: eczema, dermatitis, keratosis pilaris, and erythema multiforme. The skin conditions are itchy and painful, as well as unsightly. I'm not really trying to embrace them so much as solve the problems. My dermatologist prescribed ointments and medicines to help with the itching. I also love Aveeno Eczema Therapy Lotion and SkinFix Eczema Balm. I wear a lot of skirts, dresses, cute socks, bomber jackets, and cardigans to cover up my eczema and rashes. I used to think that I was ugly or gross or that there was something wrong with me. I've learned that I am still beautiful, I was just handed an unlucky hand in life." — Deanna, 16
12. "At 13, I began disliking my thighs and my arms. I used to compare myself to people I saw in school and in magazines. But lately, I've been trying to embrace those body parts instead of hiding them, I flaunt them. At first, it was uncomfortable and scary, but now, I wouldn't change even if I could." — Kylee, 16
13. "I'm insecure about my self-harm scars. I went through a very deep depression for about two years and I cut myself a lot. I cover them up about 75 percent of the time, but when I don't, I try my best to embrace them as 'battle scars.' If you're battling depression or self-harm, please get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255. There's also an online chat if you get anxious making phone calls." — Grace, 14
Hannah Orenstein is the assistant features editor at Seventeen.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!
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