Rosacea Made Me Hate Myself, But Now I’m Beautiful!

Here at the office of Dr. Man we are constantly amazed by the life changing nature of the work that we do. We receive countless letters, emails, and voice messages from satisfied patients thanking us for procedures that we offer. The following letter is an editorialized compilation of sorts which expresses the true emotion of the many patients who reach out to us with open arms of gratitude.

Hello, everyone. My name is Jill Salazar. I am a 35 year old recently divorced mother of two and I want to share a personal story that some of you may relate to.

I decided that I was ready to start dating again after my divorce was finalized. Everything was fine until I realized that it’s all about internet dating sites these days. The only thing I dreaded more than trying to create a not-boring profile was knowing that I would also have to upload what my kids call “selfies” because they might reveal my secret: I have rosacea.

Without getting too technical, rosacea is a skin disorder that can make you look sunburned year-round. It can also show up as bumps that look like acne. The treatments my mom bought for me when I was a teenager only worked temporarily; and as you can probably imagine, I was often the butt of jokes at school. To cope, I started hiding behind enough foundation to put a kabuki artist to shame by the time I was sixteen. I even met my ex-husband while I was hiding behind my “mask,” and I never let him see me without it throughout our marriage. Looking back, I know that my low self-esteem played a role in our divorce.

Everything changed for the better last year after one of my friends had a facelift. While we were talking about how great she looks, we started talking about my skin. That’s when my friend told me about other services this plastic surgeon from South Florida, whom she referred to as a “genius,” offers. I was skeptical, but I took her advice and called him. That call ended up changing my life forever!

I have flawless skin now, and my self-esteem has never been higher. I feel confident enough to be seen without makeup for the first time in my life; and it’s an amazing feeling to know that guys are referring to the real me when they tell me I’m hot. One of those guys happens to be my boyfriend. We met via an online dating site. I also have an amazing job that I never would have had the courage to apply for less than one year ago.

So, to those of you who suffer from rosacea, know that you don’t have to spend your life hiding behind makeup. I’m living proof of that.