Tamara Bennett’s life with a rare birthmark on her lip

A TASMANIAN woman with a rare condition causing her lips to swell says she’s finally accepted her condition. WARNING: Graphic pictures

Tamara Bennett has spent years covering her birthmark, but is now embracing it to raise awareness of her rare condition. Picture: Caters News.

WARNING: Graphic pictures

A TASMANIAN woman with a rare birthmark causing her lips to keep growing says she’s finally accepted her condition, but continues to face bullies.

Tamara Bennett’s lips swell to such an extent that she often struggles to eat, and has to drink through a straw.

Ms Bennett was born with a rare birthmark that cause her lips to constantly fill with blood, swelling them to three times their normal size.

Ms Bennett, 20, admits she has spent years trying to conceal the condition with makeup after being nicknamed ‘Lippy’ at school.

Tamara was nicknamed ‘Lippy’ at school and constantly bullied. She’s now embracing her condition, but says she is still bulled as an adult. Picture: Caters News.

But she’s finally decided to embrace her condition by scrapping the make up in a bid to raise awareness of the condition.

“I have a very rare birthmark on my lip which has caused me severe pain throughout my entire life” Ms Bennett said.

“It goes all the way through to the inside of my mouth which is why I’ve always had trouble eating, drinking, and with my skin drying up.

“My lips would bleed for hours and blisters would form easily due to sunlight.

“My lips have often swelled up to three times their normal size, especially after I’ve been out in the sun or sleeping on my face at night.

“I have had to carry a straw around with me because my lips have been so bad that I can’t consume anything.

“I struggle to eat food and drink, and when I do I often drool or spill it down me.”

Ms Bennett has undergone three major operations to reduce the size of her lips, but was left with scars across her chin.

Tamara has had many operations to try and reduce the size of her lips, with one life threatening due to the risk of huge blood loss. Picture: Caters News.

Tamara has been left with scars after her many operations, which have prevented her from having laser therapy on the birthmark. Picture: Caters News.

Doctors revealed that the birthmark was caused by a vascular malformation — an abnormality in her veins which causes severe pain and swelling.

She now hopes that she won’t need surgery for another ten years after a successful operation in March 2016 removed huge chunks of tissue.

She added: “About a year ago my lips swelled to the worst they have ever been and I desperately needed the operation.

“Make up couldn’t even cover them up and I looked down whenever I walked anywhere to prevent my face from being seen.

Tamara spent years trying to cover her birthmark with make up. Picture: Caters News.

Constantly bullied at school, Tamara begged her mum to stay home. But she still went to her prom - and covered her birthmark as best she could. Picture: Caters News

“I had a huge round hat which helped to conceal my face up until my third operation.

“The operations have involved tissue being removed from my lips and I once needed fifty stitches to put my skin back together.

“All three of my operations have been very scary, especially the one last year as they removed such a large piece of tissue.

“I needed a V shape cut into my mouth, which was then stitched up, it was life threatening due to the amount of blood that it produces.

“Thankfully it went well and I took photos every day afterwards to see how the recovery was going.

“I also went to Melbourne to have laser surgery when I was 13 but the doctors told me that my jaw was affected so badly that they were unable to do the surgery.”

Ms Bennett has suffered bullying her whole life and has only recently plucked up the courage to embrace her skin.

“Everyone was so mean to me growing up, I was like the freak child.

“Kids would make fun of my mouth and call me ‘Lippy’.

Tamara was picked on from a young age. Picture: Caters News

“It took me until the age of 16 to finally make any friends and thankfully my best friend now has stuck with me for years.

“I hated myself and I always asked my mum if I could stay at home, I just couldn’t face any mean comments or looks from bullies.

“I’ve been scared to apply for jobs due to my birthmark and it’s still tough going out to certain places.

“People constantly stare at me and I’ve even had a woman once ask if I had a beard on my face in a really cruel way.

“Luckily my family have been really supportive, my mum has been amazing with me.

“She once confronted the parent of someone who was bullying me at school and she always understands when I’m feeling down about it.

“I’m now in a good place and I’m willing to speak about my birthmark with anyone, fingers crossed I won’t need another operation in the short term.”

Tamara says she relies on the support of her mum who has stood up to bullies and understood when she feels down about the birthmark.