My Piercing Got Infected and So Did My Confidence

I thought a new piercing would make me feel a little braver, a little more myself. Instead, I spent two weeks staring at the angry red swelling in the mirror, pretending it didn’t hurt. I kept cleaning it, following every step, but it just looked worse. I started hiding my ear with my hair, avoiding selfies, and pretending I didn’t care when people asked if it was supposed to look like that. Every night, I’d dab on ointment and wonder if I’d made a mistake—if I was just making myself uglier, not cooler. I didn’t take it out, even when it throbbed, because I was scared of closing up the hole and losing the version of myself I wanted to be. It’s just a piercing, but it’s also not. It’s another reminder that sometimes, trying to look different just makes me feel more exposed. #SkinStory #BeautyBurnout #BareFaceAnxiety #Beauty