A woman has been undergoing harsh laser treatment for more than three years in an attempt to remove the tattoo that covers her face. The idea of tattooing her face came from her ex-partner and, at a difficult moment in her life, she accepted so as not to lose it. That lack of self-esteem turned into a nightmare that ended her relationship but has also changed her life.
His shocking image went viral and he had to put up with the judgment of others and unwanted popularity. Now, she has decided to use those same networks to turn the matter around. She has set out to document her amazing and difficult transformation in order to heal herself and in the hope that her example can serve someone going through a similar situation.
Five years ago Alyssa Zebrasky, 31, got a tattoo that completely covered her face with the image of a sugar skull, typical of the Mexican culture linked to the "Day of the Dead." It wasn't her idea, but rather that of the partner she had at the time.
Alyssa, a native of Cleveland in Ohio, United States, explains: "One day I was having a conversation with my ex-boyfriend and he told me 'you should tattoo your face.' At first he refused, but then the insistence and the fear of being abandoned got the better of him. Today, from a distance, she believes that that man did it so that no one else would want her, with the clear intention of controlling her.
'He chose the tattoo design. It was a Day of the Dead sugar skull, which covers my entire face. I guess he wanted us to match up," he analyzes.
In fact, they both ended up in police custody, him three times in six months, resulting in his unusual mugshot going viral, Metro reports.
“That six-month romance was a whirlwind that suddenly turned darker. While I was in jail, my partner maybe visited me twice," he reveals, and that led him to reflect on his situation.
After ending the relationship, Alyssa decided to go through a drug detox program and went to rehab. But every time she looked in the mirror, her tattooed face reminded her of the past.
"Looking at those photos, I feel disappointed in myself," she says, and admits that she had never worked on the subject of loving herself, respecting herself, as she does now.
"I feel proud because change, healing and learning are possible. I like being able to look back and see my personal growth," she adds now that she has regained her self-esteem.
She is documenting her experience on social media with the support of her family and her new partner, with whom she has the "truly healthy relationship." Her objective is twofold, on the one hand it is therapeutic for her, who continues to gain confidence in herself, and on the other, it serves to show other people that change is possible.
"I was vilified on social media, everyone was saying really bad things about me and I didn't even get a chance to give my side of the story," the young woman justifies. And in such a painful moment, she did not have the support of her partner.
When she started the removal process in October 2019, she was told she would need 12 sessions.
"When I first started going, they did my cheeks, forehead, and hands because since it's a tattoo, your body can only heal one part at a time," says Alyssa, who has tattoos all over her body.
"Each session is 20 minutes, much faster than a tattoo itself. The initial pain from the laser I would associate with having a rubber band snapping against the skin. This is how it feels and then it hurts for 30 minutes," he specifies about the process.
And he continues: "Afterwards there is a little bit of pain almost as if you spilled hot oil and it burned your skin, that's the closest I can compare it to"
Alyssa says her face doesn't burn as much, but there's some swelling. And that she began to "accept" her face. "I used to cover it up when I went to visit my family," she confesses.
The mother told her that she did not need to do it and that encouraged her to continue. Her family was always supportive of her process, and they understand that she was in a vulnerable place.
His relationship with social networks has also changed. “As much hate as I get on TikTok and other social networks, now I don't pay attention to it,” he says. What he wants is that his experience can help someone who is going through or has gone through a similar situation and show that he cares. can get ahead.
