Last week, Michelle Elman, a 21-year-old from London, decided to confront her insecurities surrounding her surgery scars and uploaded this bikini shot to Instagram.
Part of the caption reads:
I finally faced up to wearing a bikini and although, I love my body thoroughly and have for many years - this was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, yet once it was on, it was one of the most liberating feelings to know that I wasn't letting two pieces of material stop me from being comfortable in my own body.
Elman's scars used to make her feel so ashamed that she would hide her body.
Elman said that at school she would regularly receive nasty comments from people about her appearance.
"At school someone pointed at at my scar on my chest and said my nipple was showing, and then when I told them it wasn't a nipple, they teased me for having a third nipple. I've also had friends of the family when I was sunbathing tell me my scars will mean a boy will never be interested in me."