‘I spent years hiding my birthmark’ (Picture: Caters News)

A mum who struggled for years with a huge birthmark on the side of her head has finally been able to get it removed.

After falling pregnant when she was 18, the now 24-year-old Jordan noticed a birthmark on her face was starting to leak and even begin breaking off from her head before growing back each time.

The Dallas native spent her whole adult life battling the stigma and low self-esteem that comes with having a facial difference, as well as the concerning uncertainty over what was causing the growth in the first place.

Jordan explains: ‘I spent years hiding my birthmark with my hair because I felt like that was the only way I could experience a normal life

‘I thought about things most kids don’t think of, like if my parents didn’t want me, why was I created like this, and will I ever have my own family?

‘I eventually started dating and ended up pregnant at 18 with my first child – this is when everything changed for the worse.

‘After I gave birth, I noticed my birthmark swelling, cracking and leaking fluids. I could no longer lay on that side due to a discharge that smelt horrible.

‘I had no clue what was going on until one day I accidentally snatched a big chunk out of my birthmark, and in a panic, I ran to the ER hoping they would help me.

‘They had no clue what they were looking at – they were scared to touch it, test it, to do anything to it.’

Each time Jordan had a baby, the mark grew, and she started to believe she’d never have a normal life.

She said: ‘I ended up creating a picking habit – it wouldn’t stop growing, so I kept picking it down no matter how bad it hurt or how much it bled.

‘I discovered a lot of pieces were connected to nerves, so I could not go through with my intrusive thoughts, which were to just rip it off.

‘I had no clue what was going on’ (Picture: @girlwiththemark/ CATERS NEWS)

‘I was already uncomfortable from the first growth, so the continuous growth made it even worse. I was suffering from multiple infections which made it stink when wet.’

But when she met her partner, who she credits with teaching her how to value herself.

She said: ‘I met the love of my life, and he went out of his way to assure me that I am worthy of love as a beautiful, amazing woman.’

‘They went deeper into the skin, and that’s when I got my diagnosis’ (Picture: @girlwiththemark/ CATERS NEWS)

Then, after four failed freezing sessions, Jordan finally got a proper diagnosis and doctors were able to surgically intervene and remove the growth.

‘They tried testing just the surface of my birthmark and it did not work,’ she recalled. ‘So they went deeper into the skin, and that’s when I got my diagnosis – Linear Nevus Sebaceous Syndrome.

‘I immediately started researching the term because this is the answer I had been wondering about for years.

‘But I did what all people do and Googled it – I found so many scary things, so I stopped reading. I just continued to go to these appointments.’

Now, the mum wants to share her story in a bid to encourage self-acceptance, love, and hope for anyone in the world suffering from facial differences like her.

She said: ‘I knew my mission was to help others with rare diseases, facial differences, or body differences, in general, and help them to have the confidence to be accepting of themselves.

‘We deserve to be treated equally’ (Picture: @girlwiththemark/ CATERS NEWS)

‘We are the people who feel no one is listening. We are the people who feel lonely in a room full of people. We are the people who deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.’

By being open about her growth online, she’s had scores of messages from well-wishers but also, unfortunately, attention from cruel trolls as well.

She said: ‘We deserve to be treated equally.

‘I never imagined going viral over one video and it was very overwhelming.

‘I got a lot of negative comments, mainly people bullying me, but also very positive comments, which always outweigh the bad. I have raised awareness to over 10 million people, which is amazing.’

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‘I had no clue what was going on.’