Hello,

I began a drug store teeth whitening treatment that left me with chemical burns on my gums. I feel shame more than pain that I could do this to myself. I have to visit the dentist and got yelled at by my mother because she had to speak to the insurance company.

I saw a blemish on my cheek and bought skin lightening cream. I applied sun screen and “protected” my skin from the sun, however, the blemishes got 5x darker and now my face is covered in acne marks. It has made my self esteem even worse than before. I began using an acid treatment to peel the marks away and it left my skin overly sensitive. Now, I can wear sunscreen and make up, but it stings really badly.

I’ve been taking weight loss pills because I always wanted to lose weight. I’m at a normal weight and I can see bruises on my body which weren’t there before. It may be a result of the weight loss pills. I feel so dependent on them, like I can’t quit. I’ve put so much emphasis on appearance that I seem to sabotage everything and it makes me feel worse about myself.