'My skin makes me unique and I'm learning to embrace it'

A woman born with a rare genetic skin condition that covers 98% of her body in birthmarks has spoken of how she is learning to embrace her appearance after years of trying to hide it.

Laura Kelly, 28, was born with congenital melanocytic naevus (CMN) and underwent 14 operations as a baby, with doctors fearing she may not live beyond the age of eight.

Laura said CMN made her self conscious about how strangers might react and that, growing up as a teenager, she often wore heavy makeup and planned outfits to cover her skin.

She said embracing how she looks and raising awareness of CMN has given her more confidence and hopes sharing her story will help others with a visible difference.

Congenital melanocytic naevus (CMN) is a type of birthmark or mole that is usually present at birth. It is caused by an increased number of pigment-producing cells in the skin, although some CMN may appear during the first year or two of life.

CMN is caused by a genetic change in a single cell while a baby is developing during pregnancy. It is not inherited from parents and can happen to anyone.

Small CMN are relatively common, affecting about one in 100 new-born babies. Larger or more widespread CMN are much rarer, occurring in about one in 10,000 to 20,000 births. In the UK, about 7,000 babies are estimated to be born with some form of CMN each year.

People with larger or multiple CMN may develop more birthmarks after birth, particularly during their first few years. The number that appear varies from person to person, and their pattern of development can help doctors understand how the condition may progress.

First reported by Derry Now, Laura said doctors were astonished when she was born with the condition in 1998.

"I always think of how scary it had to be for my parents. I suppose back then, there wasn't much, if any actual awareness of CMN," Laura told BBC News NI.

Growing up in the small, close-knit community of Draperstown, County Londonderry, Laura said she she was very fortunate to be treated like any other child by her peers and teachers.

"Everybody knew me as the wee girl with the marks," Laura explained.

"Even the children I went to playschool with right up until upper sixth, nobody in my whole school years ever went up and told me that I had birthmarks on my face or body."

It was only during her teenage years that Laura said her relationship with her appearance began to change.

"I grew up not thinking that I was different to anyone until I did reach my teenage years, when it did affect me immensely."

Laura said she became increasingly self-conscious and started using makeup to hide her birthmarks, eventually covering herself from head to toe.

"I wouldn't have left the house without makeup," she said.

Laura said she found herself also carefully choosing clothes so that as little of her skin as possible was visible.

"Every time I meet someone… I always feel like I have to tell them about me. It'll be the first thing I tell them: 'Oh, I was born with birthmarks'. And I know I don't have to do that, but I just feel like I have to."

Despite sometimes appearing confident to others, Laura says she could feel very differently behind closed doors and sometimes needs to push herself to go out in public.

But meeting other people with CMN through the charity Caring Matters Now has helped change that.

"I never actually met someone who looked like me until recently. So, in my head, I felt like all these years I was the only person that looked like this."

Laura says her family and friends have noticed a big change in her confidence over the last few months.

She says she is now starting to show more of her birthmarks in public, including wearing shorts outside for the very first time during a recent spell of hot weather.

Laura says something as simple as wearing shorts is a huge milestone for someone who previously went to great lengths to hide her appearance, and she is now slowly learning to embrace how she looks.

"I have started to show myself off a bit more and embrace myself.

"Being different is unique, and being unique is better than being perfect."

Laura says she is taking it day by day and has set herself the goal of one day leaving the house without wearing any makeup at all.

After years of hiding her skin, she says she is proud of how far she has come and hopes others with a visible difference will learn to embrace their appearance.

"Gaining confidence doesn't happen overnight, by no means. It takes time and it's okay to feel self-conscious, it's okay to feel different.

"I never thought in a million years that I would walk out of the house with a pair of shorts on from I was like 13 or so, but now it does happen. And I'm proud of myself, I have to say."