Face masks have made me so insecure about my face

[insecureee]

I have always felt quite insecure about my face ever since a boy called me ugly when I was 15.

Up until now though I have just lived my life whilst believing I was ugly. However, face masks have really made me incredibly insecure. I work in a hospital and so I have to wear a mask at work all the time, as do my colleagues. We have separate break times too so don't really see each other without a mask. It's a big enough deal that there are often conversations about how people look without face masks, e.g. when you add someone on social media and see their profile picture or see someone in the break room without a face mask it is a talking point "oh so and so looks SO DIFFERENT without a face mask".

For some reason I have developed a fear of my colleagues seeing me without a face mask. I feel like a complete catfish and feel like I look so much uglier than you would expect from just looking at my eyes. I don't know where this fear or insecurity has come from. I don't know how to just stop being so ridiculous. I know it's really silly and dumb and you're all going to roll your eyes. It's just awakened this really intense insecurity about my face that previously I just kind of lived with.

Oh my god! Not silly or dumb at all! I'm sooo sorry you feel that way. What has helped me with my insecurities in the past is standing in front of my mirror completely naked and picking out all the things I like. It might be really really hard at first, but eventually you'll become more at peace. I used to have severe self-esteem issues and really hated my body and myself. But my confidence and self esteem has improved soo much.

I make sure not to contort my body or change how I'm standing. I stand completely naturally and eventually it'll start to feel normal.

It's not just you, I also work for the NHS and I also hide behind my mask. I've always been acutely aware I don't have a pretty face but lock down has made me so much more self conscious about it. I prefer to wear it now.
Hugs,its not a nice feeling

I really like my coworkers and cancelled going out for drinks with them last minute because I just couldn't face them seeing me without a mask. I don't understand how I got like this...

I’ve felt a bit like this, I actually feel more confident with a mask on as I like my hair and eyes and figure, and feel that I pass as attractive with the mask on. I hate my teeth, nose, cheeks and face shape and also feel like a total cat fish when I take off the mask to reveal how I ‘really’ look

Yes!! I feel like this too. I dont know what to say to help but you're not alone. We had a new colleague start in January and she's never seen me without my mask, I keep thinking she'll be horrified when she sees what I really look like. It's an absolute head fuck!

Not silly at all op, I work in healthcare and feel the same! Masks do make you look different, and can become abit of a comfort blanket.

Each and everyone of us has our own insecurities and triggers.
I find by being honest and saying out loud to others how your actually feeling ,can be of great benefut, because even on here, others are feeling this way too. So your definitely not on your own.
If you went to meet your friends and said ' lt feels strange not to have to wear a mask" l am sure they would be in agreement, and you need to remember they won't be thinking of acting like a hurt 15 year old boy. Hurt people hurt others, it had absolutely nothing to do with you or the way you looked, he had his own issues going on.

I love wearing my mask at work now without it I feel over exposed and ugly.

I’m totally with you op, I feel a lot better with a mask on. It covers the blotchy rosacea on my cheeks, my wonky mouth and gapped teeth.

I feel utterly naked in front of people without a mask and like they can see ‘inside me’

Ever since we started wearing masks I wasn't that worried about my face but when time passed by I got so used to wearing masks. I never took my mask off in public because I would be worried about what people would think of me. Like If I was just less unattractive.
Yesterday My school said that that we didn't have to wear a mask anymore and was so worried but the thing is that I still wore my mask.
I have gotten so used to wearing a mask that it feels weird just to not have it on.

I thought i was the only one who felt this way and I'm glad that I'm not alone. I'm still working on myself and working on my self-love and I hope, NO, you will be Confident without a mask.
Love you all :)

Same I've felt so insecure without my face mask on, I can't even take my mask off in public because 1 - I'm worried if people might view me as ugly (people in my old high school used to make fun of me - boys specifically) in public 2 - I feel exposed without it like I feel naked it feels so weird having to take a mask off. Same experience I had just like yours, the current school I go to only a few people wear a mask in my year and barely anyone in the other years including the teachers. I feel so stupid because everyone else is confident and didn't develop this ridiculous and pathetic habit of hiding their face(s) behind a mask. My advice to all the people commenting is, (and I need to take this advice too), 1 - nobody gives a shit what you look like, if you think everyone is focusing on how you look that's just anxiety, you don't go outside rating people's looks nobody has time for that and to be honest most people are too busy focused on themselves they don't care about others. 2 - strangers don't care about you, if you feel pretty then that's all that matters you can't spend your whole life focusing on other people's validation they don't even acknowledge you. 3 -You can't hide forever God gave you a face and you need to appreciate it, other people don't see the insecurities you have except you it's all in your head. Hope this helped. ❤

I'm so sorry you had to do that, just know it's just social anxiety. I'm going through the same struggle it's ridiculous trust me one day you'll get fed up and just take it off and not care what people think everyones too focused about themselves and their own insecurities to focus on someone elses, etc, also only you can see your insecurities. I've also had dreams of suffocating that's how bad my anxiety is about masks in general and taking them off, I understand 😭😅❤