Girl Called 'Monkey' for Birthmark That Covered 80% Of Her Body - At 25 Her Beauty Amazes
- Beatriz Pugliese from São Paulo, Brazil, has birthmarks covering 80% of her body.
- She went through 30 surgeries from when she was only six months and was bullied at school.
- Now she's accepted her skin and is happily married.
Beatriz Pugliese, a woman from São Paulo, Brazil, has a nevus birthmark that covers 80% of her body. Pugliese's skin condition is very rare and affects one in 500,000 people.
Pugliese works as a lab assistant but was referred to Hospital das Clinicas, where she has undergone 30 surgeries. She had her first medical procedure at six months, but more birthmarks appeared as she got older.
Beatriz Pugliese as a baby | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
The 25-year-old explained that some of her birthmarks needed to be removed because they were too big and exposure to the sun would have been dangerous for her.
Since Pugliese has most of her body covered, doctors focused on areas that needed attention, like her arms and legs. Her mother remembered the day she gave birth to Pugliese and how concerned the doctor looked.
Before being told how her daughter looked, she already sensed something was wrong. It was difficult for a mother to see her baby undergoing one surgery after the other.
Beatriz Pugliese as a baby | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
Pugliese had two surgeries a year, and for most of her childhood, she had her legs bandaged because of the removed skin grafts from her legs and her calf to cover her birthmarks.
But the recovery time was a long and excruciating three months. She said she would spend the whole time in bed because it was too painful to walk or move. But one thing Pugliese never forgets to apply is her sunscreen.
Beatriz Pugliese | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
However, life for Pugliese was not easy growing up; her skin condition subjected her to vile remarks from schoolchildren and uncomfortable stares from strangers.
Beatriz Pugliese Was Bullied for Her Skin
There was one incident that affected Pugliese growing up. She remembered a boy from her school told everyone that her skin looked like a "monkey."
Beatriz Pugliese as a baby | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
What hurt the most for her was that it was said to her face, and the encounter became something that stuck with her for a long time. Pugliese continued to express, "'Some would call me Dalmatian because of how my birthmark is, and then they would all laugh at me."
Even though many people said mean things to her, she had friends who loved her and did not make her feel abnormal. She tried not to let the comments affect her, but some days were harder than others.
Sometimes she wondered how her life would have been if she did not have her spots and how much of a different person she would have turned out to be.
Beatriz Pugliese as a baby | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
However, Pugliese realized that her skin played an important role in protecting the most important organs, which inspired her to start appreciating herself.
Beatriz Pugliese’s Life Now with Her Husband
Part of her self-acceptance journey was the decision to stop undergoing treatments or surgeries on her skin. Pugliese loves her body just the way it is.
Beatriz Pugliese and her husband Felipe | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
Aside from loving herself, Pugliese knows her family loves her. Her parents never made her feel different or even gave her special treatment because of her skin condition. The lab assistant might have grown up being teased, but someone else who saw her beyond her birthmarks was her husband, Felipe.
The couple met at a World Cup soccer match when she was 19. Pugliese was calling out someone, and Felipe turned around. Just like that, the two got into a long, heated conversation that led to their beautiful connection and now marriage.
Beatriz Pugliese and her husband Felipe | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
To Felipe, Pugliese's birthmarks are the most beautiful thing about her. He even said he once told his wife that if it were not for her birthmarks, he probably would not have gotten into that lengthy discussion or even been attracted to her.
Felip loves his wife and even has a few of his favorite birthmarks, with one specific one he named "Birthmark of the Queens." Her husband is not the only one who thinks she is beautiful; several Youtube users could also not stop praising Pugliese.
Beatriz Pugliese and her husband Felipe | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
One netizen said she looked so beautiful that her skin looked like "natural tattoos." The same sentiments were shared by another user who thought Pugliese looked like a painting.
Beatriz Pugliese | Source: Youtube.com/Truly
"She is a living art: added another commenter, with another viewer saying, "80% covered in birthmarks, 100% pure beauty." Pugliese would love for everyone to be happy in all aspects of their lives, specifically, the differences that make us all unique.
Here is another story of a girl who asked a woman she had a special connection with an unexpected question about her skin tone.
Subscribe to AmoMama on Google News!
The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. news.AmoMama.com does not take responsibility for any action taken as a result of reading this article. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider.