'I was born with two faces - bullies told me I was ugly but I'm happy as I am'

Kate Markham was born with a rare skin condition that has brought her to the attention of bullies and trolls since she started secondary school. However, the paediatric nurse is speaking out about the condition online. The 21-year-old was born with Cutis verticis gyrata, an extremely uncommon condition that causes the skin, usually on the scalp or forehead, to form folds or ridges. She said: “It’s definitely shaped me as a person. “It’s helped me build strong friendships with people who genuinely accept me for who I am. It’s also given me a thick skin and confidence in speaking to people and explaining my condition.” As a newborn, doctors were initially baffled by her condition as they tried to find a diagnosis, even speculating that she may have had brain damage as the folds in her skin were more pronounced and visible when she didn’t have hair. An MRI revealed her true diagnosis, she said: “Doctors explained that it’s a rare condition where the skin forms folds, and that it wasn’t harmful to my health. As I grew up I started asking more questions as my curiosity grew and my parents were always very open about it. “They explained that it was something I was born with, that it was rare, and that it didn’t define me.” She told creatorzine.com: “A lot of people assume there’s a dramatic story behind it like I’ve been in an accident or had an injury. “But there isn’t – it’s simple a condition I was born with. I’ve had comments like ‘that’s ugly,’ ‘shave it off’, or ‘just get surgery’.” Growing up, Kate had considered the various options doctors offered to potentially change her appearance, including surgery, Botox and microblading. But she ultimately chose not to go ahead and embrace her own unique look instead. She added: “I’m happy as I am, and I don’t feel the need to change for anyone.” Secondary school was when Kate started noticing how society reacted to her: “It was probably the hardest time as people could be quite unkind without thinking about how it affected me. In primary school, everyone had grown up with me, so no one really questioned it as much or as directly. “But starting a new school, meeting new people, especially older students, I began to notice the looks and the questions more, and that’s when I realised I was more different.” Kate tried to hide her differences in various ways and fell in love with horse riding because of it: “When I had my hat on, I felt like everyone else and it was a safe space where I was judged on my ability, not my appearance. “As I got older, I experimented with hairstyles, like having a fringe, to draw less attention to my eyebrows. But over time, I’ve grown out of that. Right now, I feel more confident and comfortable in my own skin than I ever have.” Kate ultimately turned to cognitive behavioural therapy which gave her the tools and coping strategies she still uses today and channels her emotions into her art. In recent years, Kate received a surge of attention on social media which helped shift her perspective too despite the troll comments. Kate said: “Being unique feels special to me now, and I’m more confident than ever, even wearing my fringe back when I never would have before. “My family have always been incredibly supportive. They listened to me, reassured me, and helped me through difficult moments.”