Gloria Aste is 20 years old, lives in Loveland, Colorado, and is tired of hearing the same question.
Ever since she was a child, people have asked her if she had painted her skin. Now that she’s grown up, almost everyone assumes that what she has is a huge tattoo covering her chest, back, and part of her arm. But there’s no ink or makeup: it’s a giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a birthmark that occurs in one out of every 50,000 births and grows along with her.
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, these marks aren’t on the skin but are part of it. For Gloria, care is simple: keep the area moisturized and out of the sun.
Growing up without seeing anyone who looked like her led her to share her story on TikTok, where she now has a following. She also receives hateful and inappropriate comments, but responds calmly: “There is a lot of ignorance and a lack of education”. Her goal is simple: to make differences visible, because “they can be beautiful”.
Although her case doesn’t require much care, not all cases are so benign: according to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, some congenital nevi are associated with a condition called neurocutaneous melanosis, which can affect the spine and brain.