In a world obsessed with appearance, the silent battle with facial dysmorphia is becoming more common — and more serious.
We all have days when we don’t feel our best, when we notice a flaw — maybe it’s a breakout before a big event or catching an unflattering glimpse of ourselves in a photo. However, for some, these passing discomforts turn into something deeper, more persistent, and painfully consuming.
In my case, as I became more aware of my perceived flaws, I began using filters to conceal them. But the more I used filters, the more it felt like I was losing myself. I couldn’t recognise my face in the photos. Eventually, I decided to stop using filters and embrace my face in its most natural form. The decision to embrace my face was tough, but getting to a point where I actually love my reflection in the mirror has been a gruesome journey. This is the quiet torment of facial dysmorphia.
In a sit-down with Yinkore Angel, Lead Psychotherapist at Welcome to Truth, we discussed facial dysmorphia — what it is, how to recognise when your concerns go beyond typical insecurity, and what steps you can take toward healing.
What is facial dysmorphia?
According to Healthline, facial dysmorphia, often part of a broader condition known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), is an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in one’s facial appearance. Yinkore also reveals that while it is normal to feel self-conscious on some days, facial dysmorphia is constant, intrusive and keeps the mind preoccupied with a perceived flaw. These flaws might be invisible or barely noticeable to others, but to the person struggling, they’re overwhelming — unavoidable even.
This isn’t about vanity. It’s about distress. People with facial dysmorphia often fixate on the size of their nose, symmetry of their features, skin texture, jawline, or any detail they believe is “wrong.” The mirror becomes an enemy. Photos are torture. And social situations feels unbearable.
The signs to look out for
Facial dysmorphia doesn’t arrive suddenly. It grows, often silently, starting in adolescence or early adulthood —a time when appearance and identity feel intertwined. It might begin with a passing comment, a cruel joke, or an endless comparison to filtered perfection on social media.
Yinkore explains that for many women, it begins with noticing how your nose looked “too big” in a photo or your cheeks “too plump”, or perhaps, your eyebrows uneven. From there, the mind spirals. The flaw becomes the only thing you see. You might start avoiding mirrors or obsessively checking them. Maybe compare your facial features with people whom you deem perfect. You start skipping events, covering your face, or even seeking cosmetic procedures—not out of vanity, but desperation.
In my case, it started with a friend’s comment. I had been battling with eczema and adopted skincare routines to get rid of the issue. He suggested covering my eczema with makeup to classes, and just like that, the seed was planted. Although I listened to his suggestion passively, by the next class — and every one after — I was layering on foundation to cover my “flaw,” even after my skin healed.
Read also: The unfiltered truth: Why I stopped using photo filters
How facial dysmorphia grows
Facial dysmorphia feeds on isolation, shame, and repetition. The more you look, the more you find. The more you compare, the worse you feel. The brain creates a distorted reality — one where your face becomes a problem to be “fixed” instead of a part of who you are.
It can feel exhausting and lonely. You might hear people say “you look fine” or “you’re overthinking it,” and feel invalidated. But the pain is real. The fear of judgment, the disgust, the urge to hide — it’s all very real.
Yinkore explains that this can take a significant toll. If left untreated, facial dysmorphia could cause depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, and even self-harm in extreme cases. That’s why early recognition and seeking help are so important.
Finding a way out
Yinkore shares that while there is no permanent remedy for facial dysmorphia, recovery is possible. Healing from facial dysmorphia isn’t about ignoring your feelings or simply learning to love yourself overnight. It’s a journey — and one you don’t have to take alone.
Talk to someone: A therapist — especially one trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or body image work — can help you untangle the thoughts that feed your dysmorphia and gently reframe them. Group therapy also helps in creating a sense of shared burden.
Limit comparison traps: Social media can warp our perceptions. At the beginning of your healing process, staying off social media can help. However, in the long run, try curating your feed to include more authenticity, less perfection. Permit yourself to unfollow accounts that make you feel flawed.
Practice mirror compassion: If mirrors are a source of anxiety, avoid them when you’re distressed — but don’t let them become your enemy. Over time, with help, you can learn to look at your reflection with more neutrality, even kindness.
Challenge your thoughts: Start noticing the stories you tell yourself about your face. Ask: Is this true? Would I say this to a friend? Often, our inner critic is far crueller than reality.
You are not alone
Remember, your face is not your worth. You are not just a nose, a chin, a jawline, or a complexion. You are a full, complex human being with a presence, a voice, a heart — and no camera or mirror can capture that fully.
With support, honesty, and time, you can rebuild a more peaceful relationship with your appearance — and with yourself. Because you deserve to look in the mirror and see not a flaw to be fixed, but a person worth loving. Always.
