Writer, activist and TV presenter Katie Piper opened up to Hello about living with the medical complications of her acid attack.
In 2008, when she was just 24, Katie was attacked with sulphuric acid, leaving her with life-altering burns and scars.
Today, however, Katie has embraced her appearance and campaigns for women who have experienced the same horrific attacks.
In the new interview, Katie expressed: “My skin journey so far has been a long one. For anyone affected by burns or scars, it never really ends – you’re on that journey for the rest of your life.
“Initially, you have life-saving acute care, but once you’re through that survival stage, you’re almost starting again, getting to know your new face, body and identity. That’s a very difficult journey.”
View this post on Instagram
“I am not a burnt person living with burns – I acquired some burns when I was younger and they fit around my lifestyle. The people that didn’t scar are the people who didn’t make it, they’re not here to tell their skin story,” she said.
Katie added that the scars could have a “negative connotation” of “I’m flawed, I’m not beautiful or perfect”.
However, she said they are a reminder that “I’m not beautiful like her, I’m beautiful like me”. She credits herself for getting through it and “making it”.
Katie went on to reveal that she still has many treatments ahead of her.
These treatments include stomach and oesophagus surgeries, and she also expressed that she had a recent operation on her eye due to “functional problems”.
How does Katie campaign for change?
Since the attack, Katie has become well-known for her best-selling books, modelling career, television presenting, and activism.
Read more: Does Alex Scott have a partner? What happened with her Coronation Street ex?
In 2009, she set up The Katie Piper Foundation, which provides support and rehabilitation for burn survivors.
She has created and presented a podcast titled Extraordinary People where she chats to people who have experienced life-changing adversities and have turned their negative experiences into their power.
She has appeared in many documentaries focusing on bodily appearances, from botched surgeries to disfigurement.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix, and let us know what you think of this story.