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19 Portraits Of People With Birthmarks That Might Change The Way You See Them
"Did your boyfriend beat you?" "Did you wash the rest of the paint off your face?" "You have your lipstick all over." These are just some of the comments received by the subjects of Copenhagen-based professional photographer Linda Hansen's recent photo series, titled Nevus Flammeus. Also known as port-wine stain, nevus flammeus is a congenital vascular malformation that causes birthmarks ranging in color from light rose to dark red. Staring at somebody with this condition would be considered rude if you saw them out on the street, but Hansen's portrait photography encourages you to stare in order to force the viewer to see the facial features and the person behind the birthmark.
"I want to make a confrontation," Hansen told Feature Shoot. "How long do you have to look? When do you start to see the other details in the photo? The nose or that the clothes are sitting a little wrong. All the small details are really important. When you have looked enough at these beautiful people, the mark doesn't become interesting anymore. I compare it to having a tattoo: It's curious, or a special mark with history. It's unconventional beauty. How come when you have a mark with nature, this is not OK?"
Scroll down to see the beautiful photos for yourself and tell us what you think in the comments!
More info: Linda Hansen (h/t: Feature Shoot)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Annette Pfeffer 6 years ago
Why are there "score points"? Defeats the point really!!!! All are equally beautiful. Just human, really!
diarykeeper 8 years ago
Rather distinctive how most of those stains appear near the face/cheek/nose region. Also, if we can take away anything from these: Humans judge by appearance... even trying not to, you certainly WILL. (The brain is not very smart in that respect)
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#2
Ok Ha-Neul 8 years ago
so adorable sad though because kids can be really cruel about that kinda stuff
김지수 8 years ago
Ikr? Children always just say things they hear without knowing what it fully means. I'm glad that most of them realise that they're hurting somebody and apologize later on ^^
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Jamie Mayfield 8 years ago
I heard that port stain birthmarks can be dangerous around the eyes and can make you go blind. You can see some red in her eye. I hope they fix it. A lot of these photos show the same thing. Some of them look cool but if my kids developed them on their face I would have them removed early on.
ispeak catanese 8 years ago
Even the sclera in one eye is tinged pink. She's a cutie with those big eyes.
#3
Gretchen Rautman 8 years ago
You're missing the point. This isn't about what the birthmarks look like and how they can be used. These are people who look out at the world every day, only to know that it's not they who are being looked at, but a couple of patches of color.
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just a thought 8 years ago
Looks as of the birthmark has been drawn using a ruler ! Love this !
#4
Pj Baker 8 years ago
She is a beautiful woman and I feel she is very comfortable with herself. She portrays confidence. She is one of the luckier ones as her birthmark would be pretty easy to cover up if she would so choose to do so. Personally, I don't feel she needs to. Makes her seem more self assured and strong.
#5
Lori Grondin 8 years ago
What sad eyes? I see a confident beautiful woman who knows who she is and loves herself
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#6
Betty Morgan Singer 8 years ago
She has lovely eyes and a nice shape to her face, but she needs a nice haircut to complement her face.
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George Hughey 8 years ago
That sill part is because it's a photo, and not a video
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DAVID MCKEAN 2 years ago
OH MY GOODNESS! My heart just jumped right out of my chest!!! this birthmark is EXACTLY like mine!!!
#10
Emily Wolff 8 years ago
I'm sad that this post chooses to call these folk "brave". I have a large port wine stain and don't feel brave having my photo taken, wearing tshirts that show it off, or really doing anything to cover it up. People come in all shapes, sizes, look different, and have different characteristics. Lets get to a point where one doesn't have to be brave to be themselves.
Vervelende Panda 8 years ago
One can only be brave when scared. Great if you're not scared! But some people are. And they get the chance to be brave.
Load More Replies... Naomi Prior 8 years ago
They are brave, brave to face a world full of nitwits who cannot take people for who they are as a whole...not just the surface!
Skylla Cerridwen 4 years ago
Sorry Emily Wolff, but I happen to think that all of these people are BRAVE and BEAUTIFUL for showing us this side of themselves. I have 4 daughters that have port wine stains on their bodies. I would love to show them this post to show them that they are not alone in the way that they look.
Yunyann See 8 years ago
To call them brave is like labeling them with negativity and weak because of their birthmark. There is nothing wrong with having birthmark. Yes, they might been bullied because of that. But bullies are bullies, they will bully others for anything, may it be skin color, eyes color, hair color (the list goes one) & etc. These people in the photos are as beautiful/handsome as you and me. ;)
Maggie Collins 8 years ago
It's too bad we don't have a "sign" on the skin that shows the black in people's hearts. So you would know who to avoid and people to love and respect. Guess we just have to work it out like we do now. Scary.
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Vicky Bellas 8 years ago
They look like a heart and an angel fish. Natures art work, beautiful !
brandy rhodes 8 years ago
Whoa! He has some intense eyes. Also, put some eyeliner on him and he would look like Gara gara-592e4...318663.png 
#15
#16
Nancy E 8 years ago
Before there was laser surgery, Dermablend was frequently uses by those that wished to cover. Not all do , &, that is a personal decision .
Catalina Ioan 8 years ago
Had to look that up, and wow, is that thing amazing (assuming it really works as advertised)! I had no idea such a thing existed beyond movie sets or the like.
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Sheila Robinson 8 years ago
I don't have to live with a port wine birthmark, and I understand those who do may get tired of the comments, but I find the asymmetry and colour really interesting, and often it looks quite lovely to me.
Jayne Cummins Krchnavy 8 years ago
My hubby has a brown birthmark on the side of his face. I no longer notice it, but when people do, I love that it makes him unique. Gods kiss
#18
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What do you think ?
John L 8 years ago
This is a horrible burden for someone to have to shoulder. Fortunately, there are now ways to remove them, mostly through the use of laser application.
Brigitte 8 years ago
Yes. The first thing I noticed is, all of them look uncomfortable and rather sad.
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Helena Silveira 8 years ago
Being born with a birthmark, and bullying as a child for that reason, I now notice that it makes others more uncomfortable than it makes me. People tell me (as if I didn't know) that I can remove it with laser surgery, but what they don't know is that I feel extremely offended by that advice. It's my face we're talking about. I would never suggest anyone remove their nose, because it's too small, or too big. We have to feel comfortable with who we are.
lunanoir69 8 years ago
It's funny, but the first thing I see in almost all of these portraits is the people's eyes. Some of them do look very sad, very tired, but all of them are beautiful.
Bunnies are better!! 8 years ago
Why do we have to vote for our favorite image? All these people are equally beautiful so it seems wrong to pick favorites
Knee Kneeson 8 years ago
Anyone who says this is a curse and should be removed is wrong. Think of it like this, this is a mark of your individuallity and they can be useful. I have one (all of my left hand) and i dont choose to remove it.
Aunt Messy 8 years ago
If they want it removed, then you don't have the right to judge them for it. It's a personal choice.
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Kerry Pye 8 years ago
I read that birthmarks are from a previous life. Say you was shot in the face in war and died, and in the next life you'll still have the mark as a reminder of a past life. My son was born with one on his chest, side and foot.
Master Markus 8 years ago
But... we don't HAVE previous lives. That's... that's just plainly not how life and death works.
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Tish Christian 8 years ago
Why are they posing like this? If they are proud of how they look shouldn't their expressions show that? I would be smiling. Point missed
John L 8 years ago
This is a horrible burden for someone to have to shoulder. Fortunately, there are now ways to remove them, mostly through the use of laser application.
Brigitte 8 years ago
Yes. The first thing I noticed is, all of them look uncomfortable and rather sad.
Load More Replies... Helena Silveira 8 years ago
Being born with a birthmark, and bullying as a child for that reason, I now notice that it makes others more uncomfortable than it makes me. People tell me (as if I didn't know) that I can remove it with laser surgery, but what they don't know is that I feel extremely offended by that advice. It's my face we're talking about. I would never suggest anyone remove their nose, because it's too small, or too big. We have to feel comfortable with who we are.
lunanoir69 8 years ago
It's funny, but the first thing I see in almost all of these portraits is the people's eyes. Some of them do look very sad, very tired, but all of them are beautiful.
Bunnies are better!! 8 years ago
Why do we have to vote for our favorite image? All these people are equally beautiful so it seems wrong to pick favorites
Knee Kneeson 8 years ago
Anyone who says this is a curse and should be removed is wrong. Think of it like this, this is a mark of your individuallity and they can be useful. I have one (all of my left hand) and i dont choose to remove it.
Aunt Messy 8 years ago
If they want it removed, then you don't have the right to judge them for it. It's a personal choice.
Load More Replies... Kerry Pye 8 years ago
I read that birthmarks are from a previous life. Say you was shot in the face in war and died, and in the next life you'll still have the mark as a reminder of a past life. My son was born with one on his chest, side and foot.
Master Markus 8 years ago
But... we don't HAVE previous lives. That's... that's just plainly not how life and death works.
Load More Replies... Tish Christian 8 years ago
Why are they posing like this? If they are proud of how they look shouldn't their expressions show that? I would be smiling. Point missed
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