Earlier this month, a Malaysian woman took to social media to share her experience with severe facial acne during her pregnancy, hoping to raise awareness of such symptoms.
The woman, who goes by @ayyitslala on X, noted that while she was fortunate to escape morning sickness, her face had “changed 100%”.
Source: @ayyitslala on X
In the X thread, the user hoped her post would serve as a reminder to herself and others that such symptoms are only “temporary”.
Her post has since amassed over 15 million views and more than 1,600 comments.
According to the OP, the severe acne started showing up two months into her pregnancy.
“I got pimples every day, and my face looked like it was sunburnt. Then my nose started to swell like crazy,” she said.
Unfortunately, none of the skincare products she tried worked.
Over time, the OP said her “smile lines” became deeper, and she started to look older.
While she did not feel sad, the OP said her acne situation caused her to feel more insecure.
“I think I’ve gone crazy, crying all the time during this pregnancy,” she wrote.
She also thanked her husband and best friend for their unwavering support.
“They are the reason I have the courage to post here to express myself.”
Source: @ayyitslala on X
Pregnancy can be a deeply personal and varied experience, and for her, it was particularly challenging — both physically and emotionally.
She shared about how her pregnancy took a significant toll on her mental health. She also revealed candidly how difficult it was to reconcile her personal experience of pregnancy with the seemingly effortless and “beautiful” pregnancies portrayed online.
She would apparently ask her friend: “Why are other people so beautiful when they’re pregnant?”
“They’re just glowing? Why am I the only one who’s like this?”
Seeing influencers who appear radiant while pregnant only made her increasingly alienated.
The woman’s brave post moved many netizens, who showed the OP with overwhelming support and encouragement.
One netizen urged her to be patient and to take it slow.
Source: @ayyitslala on X
Translation: Be patient ma’am, as long as you have a husband who always supports you, it’s okay, take it slow while getting treatment. I hope you get well soon.
Another X user encouraged her to “trust the process” and assured her that she would recover soon.
Source: @ayyitslala on X
Translation: You will recover later. Trust the process. Beauty does not lie in appearance but in the soul and personality. You are great and you need to believe that. Stay positive okay.
They also wrote a timely reminder that “beauty does not lie in appearance but in the soul and personality.”
Another shared their personal experience with cysts and fibroids during pregnancy — interestingly, all of them disappeared after she gave birth.
Source: @ayyitslala on X
Translation: My experience: early detection of cyst/fibroids, acne increased all over my body, scars didn’t go away. But after giving birth, it all disappeared.
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Featured image adapted from @ayyitslala on X.