“My birthmark makes me special”

– Busisiwe Nyembezi, 22, @busi_nyembezi

You might think a large, Africa-shaped birthmark on the side of your face would be cause for self-consciousness – or camouflage, but for student Busisiwe Nyembezi, the opposite applies.

“It was only when I was old enough for people to ask about my birthmark that I became aware of it, and even though the stares and questions were sometimes awkward, I was fortunate to have a supportive family and caring teachers,” she says. “On my first day of school, the teacher told the class I was ‘special’ and I embraced the idea of being unique in some way.”

Around the age of 12, Busi sneaked into the bathroom and covered up the mark with her mother’s makeup. “But what I saw in the mirror seemed weird, and I just didn’t feel like myself.”

During Busi’s teenage years, friends acted as a buffer against potential bullies. “And even though I wondered whether guys would find me unattractive, I was lucky that none of the boys I knew were mean about my mark.”

There are still times when strangers approach her in public. “They’ll say things like, ‘Sorry, but what’s that thing on your face?’” she says. “Really, though, my birthmark has become so much a part of who I am that I would never have it removed. After all, most of us dislike some aspect of our appearance, but self-acceptance lies outside perceived notions of beauty.”