Girl Who Was Told That Her Rare Birthmark Looks Ugly Chose Not To Remove It, And Here’s Why
24-year-old Mariana Mendes from Brazil was born with a birthmark that covers a large part of her face, but that didn’t stop her from modeling for a stunning photo shoot recently in order to make a powerful statement about what it means to be beautiful.
The birthmark, which covers part of her nose, her right eye, and her right cheek, is called congenital melanocytic nevus, and it’s estimated to affect just one in every 20,000 babies. It’s caused by an increased amount of pigment beneath the skin, which makes the affected area look darker as a result. Mariana underwent laser surgery treatments when she was just five years old in order to reduce the nevus because her mother was afraid she’d be bullied for it, but as you can see below, the stylist assistant from Juiz de Fora couldn’t be more proud of being different.
“I feel more beautiful and totally different from other people because I have a nevus,” said Mariana. “There are many people who stare and who don’t like it, but I don’t care. I have been told by a few people that it’s “ugly” or “strange”, but it doesn’t bother me. That’s just their opinion and I think it’s beautiful. A lot of people ask me about my birthmark, sometimes they think it’s makeup or a tattoo but I don’t mind and explain it to them. I’m proud of having a nevus, it’s a part of who I am and how I learn to like myself.”
Mariana Mendes from Brazil was born with a birthmark that covers a large part of her face
It’s called congenital melanocytic nevus, and it’s estimated to affect just 1 in every 20,000 babies
Mariana’s mother was scared she’d be bullied for it, so she had laser surgery when she was five
The surgery didn’t have much of an effect, but Mariana is glad
“I feel more beautiful and totally different from other people because I have a nevus,” she said
“I have been told by a few people that it’s “ugly” or “strange”, but it doesn’t bother me”
“I don’t get upset if a person doesn’t like my nevus, to me it’s like any other part of my body”
“I’m proud of having a nevus, it’s a part of who I am and how I learned to like myself”
“I will never be ashamed of my nevus and feel good having it”
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Share on FacebookOk, I'll be honest. To everybody here who's saying: She's beautiful, stunning, hot etc - You're right. But her birthmark is awful. I'm very glad that I don't have a nevus and I'm pretty sure you all are too. I hate that she was bullied but I don't feel sorry for this girl because (it seems like) she loves herself just the way she is... and that's the real beauty here.
I mean, I think it looks cool on her. The birthmark makes me think like it's her, the queen's, war paint.
Load More Replies...As a man born with a significant size mole on his face, I have to say that I feel for her. She is beautiful, but at the same time I know the bullying that I went through, simply for my most superficial appearance, and I can only imagine what she had to put up with. There are a lot of people who say "She's hot" etc, but I think that what has happened is that we've missed the important part of who she actually is as a person, and focused on the transient physical appearances as defining a person. By defining her as an attractive person despite her nevus, it's the same as saying that she's only important for her physical beauty, rather then the personality, or the mind that lays beneath.
Wow, it gives her a very mysterious beauty. Often we will say someone is beautiful as he/she is, because in fact we pity them and we feel bad that society rejects them. But in this case the birthmark is certainly adding something to her beauty so no reason to make a compliment just to empathize.
She is a beautiful young lady; however, if she was unattractive she would not have such an easy time of having that on her face. People are mean.
Leah, You're correct, she's beautiful in spite of the birthmark, unfortunately many people afflicted with the same thing are not so lucky.
Load More Replies...Honestly, the birthmark is hella rad and complements her face and hair :o)
By saying "it" you mean her birthmark, don't you? Cause people might think you're calling her "It"
Load More Replies...She's damn lucky she's hot because it would not be the same feeling for her if she was busted. If she looked like Shrek, the teasing would be absolutely devastating, so that's great that it worked out in the end. I'm a photographer so to me she's unique and awesome. I love people with crazy birth marks/freckles etc.
This is great, and will be an inspiration to those who find it hard to accept the way they are. She looks fantastic.
She is naturally pretty. The sad truth is, not everyone with Nervus are as 'attractive' or good-looking as she is and they can have it much harder because people are mean.
Load More Replies...That birthmark makes you unique in your way. You are beautiful and don't ever think you not. I would date you any time and I would be proud to have a girlfriend like you
To be frank, i can't say i find the mark very beautiful, by itself. What i DO find truly beautiful and amazing is the braveness of this young lady. In a world where we're taught that image is everything she had the balls to accept her true self, and she loved herself through it....This is truly inspiring :)
Awesome cool birthmark! She is absolutely gorgeous and it adds to her beauty.
There's also beauty beyond the canons but it's difficult to accept it (even for me). Luckily for all, she is giving visibility to it through ATTITUDE. If she went through life with timidity, fear, hiding her mark, that may generate rejection. But since she is so proud and confident about it, it just generates empathy.
I admire her security and self confidence. I have psoriasis just in my face. Each time Appears I feel horrible, and very insecure
My first thought was: A shame, that the mark is not symetrical, she would be even more badass.
Beautiful inside and out, don't ever let anyone tell you what to do with your individuality
How anyone could not see how georgeous she is, is beyond me. This is not a PC virtue signaling statement but obviously true according to long standing precepts.
The whole purpose of life is to become a separate unique individual and the way we do that is by experiencing separation in every way, shape, or form. From the moment we are born and separate from our mothers till the day we die and our death becomes a lesson in separation to our loved ones we leave behind. Losing someone we love is the ultimate lesson in separation. Religion, politics, race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, looks, height and weight, money, and socioeconomic status are just a few of the ways we experience separation in this life. There is no separation on the other side because of those overwhelming feelings of oneness and connectedness as described by thousands of near death experiencers in their NDE descriptions. The more emotion the more we remember because there is a close connection between emotion and memory. Our memories are the only thing we get to take with us to heaven. https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20050131/emotions-make-memory-last
Ugly? She's f*****g fabulous! And her birthmark just makes her even more beautiful. <3
I see a very beautiful young lady with the most stand out beautiful eyes witch being the entrance to the soul that she has a most wonderfully strong core and that she will meet a young man that will be an equal to herself contribute to a better world of good people despite the ignorance of some.
Hello she is gorgeous that's honest to god truth I think she absolutely gorgeous an sexy with or without the awesome tattoo thanks for listening I'm Dan Sarasota Florida text me girl you wanna talk OK
Reminds me of a story when my little cousin was small. A close friend of my Aunt has this as well except it covered half of his face (he looked like the phantom, it was pretty badass) well she climbed on his lap and started touching it. It didn't bother him at all and then she asked him how he got all the ink on his face. He laughed.
It doesn't hurt that she's exceptionally attractive; if she were just average looking, this would be more of an issue.
She is really good looking so people care little about that black area around her eye and nose but really now aside of hot looks, this can just be considered as body painting, a type of tatoo. It isn't, she didn't ask for this but i am just saying. if she wants to be positive she could take it this way, there are really many people who cover their faces with symbols and such by choise
Love the pic specifically where she is wearing the gorgeous black dress... plus sneakers. Adding on the nevus makes it even more unique and epic, I love it
No one would love you if you don't love yourself. She is a rare beauty.
It's awesome. She's a beautiful woman, and it adds character. She's unique, like the markings of a tortoiseshell cat. As a cat lover, this is totally cool. People tattoo themselves all the time ti be different, and if it's naturally you, better yet. <3
Beautiful. At first it made me think of a mask, and then a cat with a black patch on her face. It's different in a good way.
I had a large strawberry hemangiomas birthmark on my face and was harassed, ostracized and bullied relentlessly for it. At 24, it was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma and had to be removed to get rid of the cancer. Over 50 years later and I still wish the cancer had occurred sooner.
How wonderful that she loves herself as God made her. That's her true beauty! God loves her and so do I.
How wonderful that she loves her own gifts as God gave them! That's her true beauty. God loves her and so do I!
She's very pretty, I wished i waz da confident, I lived my life depress of the way I look 😢
The last pic looks like someone photoshopped her left shoulder?? She is not that thin. And she looks great, very sexy. You go girl!
If it was Trump,the comment section and the article would be different...
She might not end up having a choice about keeping it. These can turn cancerous. My sister had a similar large birthmark on her stomach that she kept on putting off getting removed (usually several surgeries). By the time she did, it was cancerous and all had to be removed at once.
With a face as pretty as yours you could be completely covered with nevus and it would not matter.
She looks cool and beautiful indeed, like she is walking on the wild side! I like such people-who are not ashamed to be different, they are proud of it!
It's not ugly it's part of who she is ! I'm glad she dosnt feel,pressured into getting it removed. She is very pretty x
Uniquely Beautiful. People talk c**p but I stand with you. You're beautiful.😍
If she doesn't get at least one modelling job out of this, then a couple of agencies deserve a smack on the tushie for it. She's flat out gorgeous.
from a parents point of view, i can understand her mom wanting to shield her from cruel people. its wonderful that she had a home where she was raised with confidence in her own beauty thats inside, and the attitude to embrace that which sets her apart from others. She is an example to others of how to just accept what we are.
In the middle ages she would be burned as witch by enlightened idiots from chr. church. When we will be allowed by law to kill priests?
I understand your frustrations with organized religion, but your statement on priests is as ignorant as witch trials
Load More Replies...Ok, I'll be honest. To everybody here who's saying: She's beautiful, stunning, hot etc - You're right. But her birthmark is awful. I'm very glad that I don't have a nevus and I'm pretty sure you all are too. I hate that she was bullied but I don't feel sorry for this girl because (it seems like) she loves herself just the way she is... and that's the real beauty here.
I mean, I think it looks cool on her. The birthmark makes me think like it's her, the queen's, war paint.
Load More Replies...As a man born with a significant size mole on his face, I have to say that I feel for her. She is beautiful, but at the same time I know the bullying that I went through, simply for my most superficial appearance, and I can only imagine what she had to put up with. There are a lot of people who say "She's hot" etc, but I think that what has happened is that we've missed the important part of who she actually is as a person, and focused on the transient physical appearances as defining a person. By defining her as an attractive person despite her nevus, it's the same as saying that she's only important for her physical beauty, rather then the personality, or the mind that lays beneath.
Wow, it gives her a very mysterious beauty. Often we will say someone is beautiful as he/she is, because in fact we pity them and we feel bad that society rejects them. But in this case the birthmark is certainly adding something to her beauty so no reason to make a compliment just to empathize.
She is a beautiful young lady; however, if she was unattractive she would not have such an easy time of having that on her face. People are mean.
Leah, You're correct, she's beautiful in spite of the birthmark, unfortunately many people afflicted with the same thing are not so lucky.
Load More Replies...Honestly, the birthmark is hella rad and complements her face and hair :o)
By saying "it" you mean her birthmark, don't you? Cause people might think you're calling her "It"
Load More Replies...She's damn lucky she's hot because it would not be the same feeling for her if she was busted. If she looked like Shrek, the teasing would be absolutely devastating, so that's great that it worked out in the end. I'm a photographer so to me she's unique and awesome. I love people with crazy birth marks/freckles etc.
This is great, and will be an inspiration to those who find it hard to accept the way they are. She looks fantastic.
She is naturally pretty. The sad truth is, not everyone with Nervus are as 'attractive' or good-looking as she is and they can have it much harder because people are mean.
Load More Replies...That birthmark makes you unique in your way. You are beautiful and don't ever think you not. I would date you any time and I would be proud to have a girlfriend like you
To be frank, i can't say i find the mark very beautiful, by itself. What i DO find truly beautiful and amazing is the braveness of this young lady. In a world where we're taught that image is everything she had the balls to accept her true self, and she loved herself through it....This is truly inspiring :)
Awesome cool birthmark! She is absolutely gorgeous and it adds to her beauty.
There's also beauty beyond the canons but it's difficult to accept it (even for me). Luckily for all, she is giving visibility to it through ATTITUDE. If she went through life with timidity, fear, hiding her mark, that may generate rejection. But since she is so proud and confident about it, it just generates empathy.
I admire her security and self confidence. I have psoriasis just in my face. Each time Appears I feel horrible, and very insecure
My first thought was: A shame, that the mark is not symetrical, she would be even more badass.
Beautiful inside and out, don't ever let anyone tell you what to do with your individuality
How anyone could not see how georgeous she is, is beyond me. This is not a PC virtue signaling statement but obviously true according to long standing precepts.
The whole purpose of life is to become a separate unique individual and the way we do that is by experiencing separation in every way, shape, or form. From the moment we are born and separate from our mothers till the day we die and our death becomes a lesson in separation to our loved ones we leave behind. Losing someone we love is the ultimate lesson in separation. Religion, politics, race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, looks, height and weight, money, and socioeconomic status are just a few of the ways we experience separation in this life. There is no separation on the other side because of those overwhelming feelings of oneness and connectedness as described by thousands of near death experiencers in their NDE descriptions. The more emotion the more we remember because there is a close connection between emotion and memory. Our memories are the only thing we get to take with us to heaven. https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20050131/emotions-make-memory-last
Ugly? She's f*****g fabulous! And her birthmark just makes her even more beautiful. <3
I see a very beautiful young lady with the most stand out beautiful eyes witch being the entrance to the soul that she has a most wonderfully strong core and that she will meet a young man that will be an equal to herself contribute to a better world of good people despite the ignorance of some.
Hello she is gorgeous that's honest to god truth I think she absolutely gorgeous an sexy with or without the awesome tattoo thanks for listening I'm Dan Sarasota Florida text me girl you wanna talk OK
Reminds me of a story when my little cousin was small. A close friend of my Aunt has this as well except it covered half of his face (he looked like the phantom, it was pretty badass) well she climbed on his lap and started touching it. It didn't bother him at all and then she asked him how he got all the ink on his face. He laughed.
It doesn't hurt that she's exceptionally attractive; if she were just average looking, this would be more of an issue.
She is really good looking so people care little about that black area around her eye and nose but really now aside of hot looks, this can just be considered as body painting, a type of tatoo. It isn't, she didn't ask for this but i am just saying. if she wants to be positive she could take it this way, there are really many people who cover their faces with symbols and such by choise
Love the pic specifically where she is wearing the gorgeous black dress... plus sneakers. Adding on the nevus makes it even more unique and epic, I love it
No one would love you if you don't love yourself. She is a rare beauty.
It's awesome. She's a beautiful woman, and it adds character. She's unique, like the markings of a tortoiseshell cat. As a cat lover, this is totally cool. People tattoo themselves all the time ti be different, and if it's naturally you, better yet. <3
Beautiful. At first it made me think of a mask, and then a cat with a black patch on her face. It's different in a good way.
I had a large strawberry hemangiomas birthmark on my face and was harassed, ostracized and bullied relentlessly for it. At 24, it was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma and had to be removed to get rid of the cancer. Over 50 years later and I still wish the cancer had occurred sooner.
How wonderful that she loves herself as God made her. That's her true beauty! God loves her and so do I.
How wonderful that she loves her own gifts as God gave them! That's her true beauty. God loves her and so do I!
She's very pretty, I wished i waz da confident, I lived my life depress of the way I look 😢
The last pic looks like someone photoshopped her left shoulder?? She is not that thin. And she looks great, very sexy. You go girl!
If it was Trump,the comment section and the article would be different...
She might not end up having a choice about keeping it. These can turn cancerous. My sister had a similar large birthmark on her stomach that she kept on putting off getting removed (usually several surgeries). By the time she did, it was cancerous and all had to be removed at once.
With a face as pretty as yours you could be completely covered with nevus and it would not matter.
She looks cool and beautiful indeed, like she is walking on the wild side! I like such people-who are not ashamed to be different, they are proud of it!
It's not ugly it's part of who she is ! I'm glad she dosnt feel,pressured into getting it removed. She is very pretty x
Uniquely Beautiful. People talk c**p but I stand with you. You're beautiful.😍
If she doesn't get at least one modelling job out of this, then a couple of agencies deserve a smack on the tushie for it. She's flat out gorgeous.
from a parents point of view, i can understand her mom wanting to shield her from cruel people. its wonderful that she had a home where she was raised with confidence in her own beauty thats inside, and the attitude to embrace that which sets her apart from others. She is an example to others of how to just accept what we are.
In the middle ages she would be burned as witch by enlightened idiots from chr. church. When we will be allowed by law to kill priests?
I understand your frustrations with organized religion, but your statement on priests is as ignorant as witch trials
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