I have a disease that affects my legs called lipo-lipedema. It makes them look like this, depending on the stage it's in. Anyway, I wear shorts. I live in an area that gets brain-meltingly hot and humid in the summer, and I refuse to swelter any more than I absolutely have to. If people don't want to see my ugly legs, they can turn their eyeballs a lot easier than I can fix my legs. My legs aren't pretty, but they've gotten me many years of life so far, and they'll take me even further as long as I take care of them.

Your body isn't here for people to look at. It's here to move you through life -- to take you on amusement park rides, to taste fluffy cotton candy, to let you feel the wind in your hair. It's yours to enjoy however you want. Don't let anyone ruin your enjoyment of that.

Just remember that nobody matters. Nobody else's opinions can change the fact that you survived and you're alive and kicking.

The old saying of "people bully others because they are insecure" is absolutely true. You have a great day at the amusement park!

Remember, most people are too wrapped up in their own shit to even notice what others have going on! Especially at an amusement park.

Would you make rude remarks about other people's scars?

That's the question my therapist told me to ask myself when I am nervous about how mean other people might be. "What would you do?" Usually I come to the conclusion that no, I would never be mean to people over completely insignificant things. So, likely, most other people won't, either.

Most people won't care, and those who are mean don't matter, seeing as they automatically disqualify themselves by being rude.

You so got this! There is absolutely no reason why you should have to punish yourself by being super hot on what sounds like a fun outing! If there should be judgemental Judes and Judiths at the amusement park, they can all go jump in a lake, which, coincidentally, you are also entitled to do, because it's very nice.

You go and enjoy your day. You might want to be extra careful with the sunscreen though if you have not exposed your legs and arms to sunlight in such a long time.

Are you going to ride roller-coasters?

well done! enjoy the park.

i have self harm scars and dermatillomania so i kinda get it though i've never tried to hide them even when i've had huge bald patches cos i pick skin on my scalp. most people don't even notice, only time it got awkward was having to make up a lie to a child on the spot cos i did not want to explain self harm, said i'd been attacked by a shark which they thought was super cool.

hopefully you'll have zero stares or rude remarks. if you do, remember those reflect more on the people doing it than you.

You GOT this‼️👏🏼🎉

When I was little, I got a weird, painful, blister-y rash all over both my legs, and nobody could figure out the cause*. When the rash finally healed I was left with scars all over my legs that left me traumatized because they were quite prominent and my legs looked spotted all over. It wais awful.

But, you know what? After many years, I realized that no-one really cared. They may have noticed, sure, but people notice things about other people for every kind of reason imaginable. And they forget it all just as quickly! To this day I regret covering my legs in pants or long socks for many years - so uncomfortable in our area’s super-hot summers. Wear what makes you comfortable. You’ll feel so much better and it will lift your mood!

Also, scars DO fade over time. And the more you expose them to the air and sun, the faster they will fade. And you can also massage your skin with pure cocoa butter, shea butter and other natural treatments easily found at drug stores, health food stores, and online, to help any kind of scarring.😀

• the doctor thought it might have been an allergic reaction

My legs are kind of flabby, very hairy, and have too many scars to count (some self harm, some IV substance abuse related, from past lives.) I have lots of shitty tattoos, and noticeable varicose veins, even after having them treated. I wear shorts everywhere. I have never gotten negative comments from anyone. I frequently get "I like your tattoos" or "you have a lot of tattoos!" if I get comments at all. It is very freeing to wear your body, warts and all, without fear. It may be fake it till you make it but investing in self acceptance eventually yields the reward of true confidence. Good for you!

I used to do the same over a little bit of very normal and small amounts of keratitis pilaris, a touch of cellulite, and a few varicose veins. Women will always find something about their appearance to fixate on. If you were a man, you wouldn't spare a second thought about it at all. It would be as simple as: it's hot, therefore shorts.

We are so cruel to ourselves, but most people are very generous toward others. Even if anyone noticed (doubtful) they will not know why you have scars and will probably assume you had an accident or something. But most likely, no one will even notice. They are not going to grab your arms for a closer look. But they are your arms, so you have examined them closely. Don't mistake your POV for the POV of others.

Realizing that people pay as much attention to my appearance as I pay to theirs (very very little) was one of the most freeing things I have ever learned in my whole life.

I have some self-harm on my arms and legs. At this point they're pretty old and faded, but I remember making the decision to stop wearing long sleeves and pants due to the heat while they were still pretty visible.

And honestly, I don't remember getting many — if any — comments or stares. It's your body that you exist in and you get to dress comfortably for the heat.

(There are limits of course to the "I deserve to be comfy!" argument — that doesn't mean you get to be nude, etc, but you know that haha.)

Maybe you're like me and you didn't want to be an object of interest or make people uncomfortable. To me though it isn't much different than like going out with a visible amputation or any other kind of old injury. Esp at like an amusement park — you're never gonna see any of those people again.

But say you do get comments. Probably it's going to be none of those people's business, and you can tell them that. Every few years a newer friend will gently ask me about mine — all I say is "Yeah I had a rough adolescence but I'm fine now!" and that's always been enough.

Anyway that's my rambling. Have fun at the amusement park!!!! Stay hydrated and cool!!

I'm so proud of you for pushing past the nervousness and discomfort and focusing on your own physical comfort! You can do it!

I'm so glad you are determined to free yourself. You've got this!

I have lots of old self harm scars on my upper legs and this past summer decided I didn’t care so much anymore and wore more summery clothes. It is scary at first but you’ll get used to it and it feels much better that sweating and trying to hide yourself.

I just think that anyone rude enough to stare or comment is not worth worrying about. You don’t have to hide yourself, you’ve got just as much right to enjoy the sunshine as anyone else does 💚

Those scars are a part of you and a part of what you’ve lived through, try to let go of any shame and regret - there are lots of people out there trying to summon the courage to do what you are doing! You’ve got this! :)

I've had an awful habit at picking at perceived blemishes for many years, mostly on my arms and shoulders. I don't know if it's a compulsion or related to my anxiety, but it's left plenty of scars over the years.

But like you, I simply stopped caring what others think. It's up to me to heal myself, and in the meantime, I wear tanktops all summer long because they're comfy and it's fucking hot out there.

Have fun today and stay hydrated in that heat!

Make sure you wear a high factor sun block, especially over the scars! If you skin hasn't been exposed to the sun it will be super sensitive. Try to remember that the sort of people who would make comments arent the sort of people who's opinion you should care about.

Have a good time at the park. I pick my shoulders and back a lot but I've finally started wearing tank tops again. There are people with scars all over their bodies for any reason at all, it's nobody else's place to say. Even if someone did say something, it's just an opinion that has no bearing at all. The FACTS are that you deserve to exist as you are and you deserve to have a good time in shorts snd not have heat stroke. Seize the day. I hope you enjoy feeling the sun on your skin ❤ it's also very likely that you will not be the only person with scars at a theme park. There are so many people and their only focus is getting from ride to ride.

(Also I rode my first big roller coaster this year. If you aren't a coasters fan I recommend trying a steel one instead of a wood one. The wood one I tried reallt freaked me out but steel helped me face my fears and now I like roller coasters!)