I need help. Ve got tribal marks on my face and it's killed my confidence.
Pretty young lady based in UK, seen all sorts, either they dont treat black skin or I pay loads of money but no results, the marks are still there.

This is straight from my heart, I am turning into a recluse, ps help!!!

Oh dear!!!

skin grafts?

MrCrackles:

Oh dear!!!

Funkky123:

I need help. Ve got tribal marks on my face and it's killed my confidence.
Pretty young lady based in UK, seen all sorts, either they don't treat black skin or I pay loads of money but no results, the marks are still there.

This is straight from my heart, I am turning into a recluse, ps help!!!

Galfriend,just be confident yeah. It's not like peeps are running away from u,abi?

The number of tribal marks thread on nairaland is becoming alarming.
@ poster, learn to accept yourself.It was the ignorance of your family members but it's not the end of the world.
Look at the singer Seal who I think is sexy,he has 2 horrible scars on both cheeks but he didn't let it stop him.
Those who love you will love you and those who don't won't.
Why worry about what you may not be able to change?

I don';t have tribal marks but I'm sure there are people who view me differently because I'm a black woman.
There's nothing you cannot achieve,irrespective of the marks.
Hold your head up high and aim for greatness.Don't let the marks on your face,the color of your skin,your accent or your height,weight define you.
Get a good education and strive to excel in your field and gain mastery and respect in your little area.
You don't have to hide.There's a whole big world out there,don't let time pass you by.

KarmaMod:

skin grafts?

sometimes it makes it worse.There are some deep groovy marks that have a darker color and those are virtually impossible to repair and that's what a lot of people who are turned away have.
I hope that campaign by Osun state really works because those practices have to stop.
The face is the first thing people see.
It's harder on women than on men.
Women have loads to deal with already and to add this to it.
This ignorance has to stop.It serves absolutely no purpose.

Kweenisha:

The number of tribal marks thread on nairaland is becoming alarming.
@ poster, learn to accept yourself.It was the ignorance of your family members but it's not the end of the world.
Look at the singer Seal who I think is sexy,he has 2 horrible scars on both cheeks but he didn't let it stop him.
Those who love you will love you and those who don't won't.
Why worry about what you may not be able to change?

I don';t have tribal marks but I'm sure there are people who view me differently because I'm a black woman.
There's nothing you cannot achieve,irrespective of the marks.
Hold your head up high and aim for greatness.Don't let the marks on your face,the color of your skin,your accent or your height,weight define you.
Get a good education and strive to excel in your field and gain mastery and respect in your little area.
You don't have to hide.There's a whole big world out there,don't let time pass you by.

Queen all this one na story.
1. Seal is a multimillionaire singer, if he were just a poor naija fellow Heidi Klum would never have married him.

2. I can understand Funky's situation . . . very few men (especially based abroad) would be willing to risk being seen with a woman with tribal marks for wife, again especially depending on the kind of men Funky is interested in.

3. Funky, try out plastic surgery as a last resort.

DavidDylan:

Queen all this one na story.
1. Seal is a multimillionaire singer, if he were just a poor naija fellow Heidi Klum would never have married him.

2. I can understand Funky's situation . . . very few men (especially based abroad) would be willing to risk being seen with a woman with tribal marks for wife, again especially depending on the kind of men Funky is interested in.

3. Funky, try out plastic surgery as a last resort.

What if she cant afford to pay for plastic surgery?

Funkky dont let the fact that you have tribal marks make self conscious,accept yourself for whom you are and learn to love yourself.

nana:

What if she can't afford to pay for plastic surgery?

then she go manage am like that o.

David thank God you don't have tribal marks

why can't they give the marks somewhere on the buttocks or stomach area.
why not on the temple where they could be covered up with hair.
Why on the face?

Funkky123:

I need help. Ve got tribal marks on my face and it's killed my confidence.
Pretty young lady based in UK, seen all sorts, either they don't treat black skin or I pay loads of money but no results, the marks are still there.

This is straight from my heart, I am turning into a recluse, ps help!!!

You have to accept what you can't change.

Kweenisha:

David thank God you don't have tribal marks

why can't they give the marks somewhere on the buttocks or stomach area.
why not on the temple where they could be covered up with hair.
Why on the face?

lmao

.

Poster

Na now i know say craZE they worry you - abi wetin una think?

How deep are the marks and how many?

I would not worry.  Its very sad some people are still stupid enough to slash peoples faces like this.  Buts its no big deal.  Dont think about it.  Its the person you are that counts.

If you make a big deal of them so will others!

tpia:

going by nairaland one would think tribal marks are as common as garri, in the western part of Nigeria.

Never mind the fact that I DO NOT know anyone among my dad's contemporaries who has tribal marks. In spite of the fact that most of them had parents who werent educated.

But thanks to nairaland, I now know tribal marks are the norm among the Yoruba, and Yorubas without tribal marks are extremely rare. They're the exception and they're viewed as being abnormal.

when I was younger, I had one teacher with tribal marks. She was also happily married to a rich guy, by the way. Since then, I've seen people with tribal marks here and there (maybe up to 8 over the past 16 years), but never as commonly as one would think going by nairaland. I don't know sha, there may be people who only meet tribally marked Yorubas- it depends I guess.


@ OP: post a picture of your tribal marks, if you can get one on the web.

If it was such that a state placed a ban on it and proposed punishment for parents who do it to their kids.It must not be that rare.

.

go for laser surgery it is painful.

The practice of tribal marks is fading away. It is like the issue of Osu in Igboland. I don't really think people have anything to worry about now-a-days. I do not know for sure, but I suppose that tribal marks arose from the need to permanently link someone to his/her village community. Like an ID Badge. Now that we have other methods of identification, tribal marks are no longer necessary. I don't really see it as being an issue of some kind of abominable act on humanity or not. It's more of an issue of necessity. It's no longer necessary, and because of that, it will fade away. All people need is education to understand that there are other methods of identification. I don't believe that banning the practice will really change much either. Maybe people will get fined here and there. Maybe people will be thrown into jail here and there, but once the process is done, it's done. Just educate the people about modernization, and necessity. Calling them ignorant won't change anything. If anything, the word ignorance may make matters worse on a more subtle, emotional, psychological level. "Ignorance" has taken on a very negative connotation these days. If nothing else, just say that they need to be educated. In all honesty, I see nothing wrong with tribal marks. I do see that it is no longer necessary, though. So I can, in a way, see how it can be justifiable to want to get rid of the practice.

Another thing is, there are white people, asian people, people of all kinds that actively put themselves through scarification. They scar their faces, backs, hands, arms, legs, you name it (for reasons similar to the reason for tribal markings, or just for the fun of it). I understand the issue is slightly different because the person that has tribal marks did not choose to have the tribal marks, but complaining about the tribal marks doesn't change anything.

In reference to Seal, DavidDylan, I doubt Seal started out his life as a multimillionaire singer. I'm not sure of the origin of his scars, but if he got them before his career, then that's even more of a reason for people to not complain. We live in a world, and age, where people understand that others can contribute regardless of what's on their face, what's in their hearts, or what they look like. I don't mean to be rude, but if you have tribal marks, then I'm sorry, but it's too late for you. If you do not like them, then just don't give your children tribal marks, that is, if you intend on having children. It's really that simple. If you don't have tribal marks and you don't like the practice, then just take the initiative to help educate others about modernization and necessity. It's really that simple.

No offense meant to anyone.

seal got his scars from a skin disease.

bawomolo:

seal got his scars from a skin disease.

Oh okay. Thank you.

ChinenyeN:

In reference to Seal, DavidDylan, I doubt Seal started out his life as a multimillionaire singer. I'm not sure of the origin of his scars, but if he got them before his career, then that's even more of a reason for people to not complain. We live in a world, and age, where people understand that others can contribute regardless of what's on their face, what's in their hearts, or what they look like. I don't mean to be rude, but if you have tribal marks, then I'm sorry, but it's too late for you. If you do not like them, then just don't give your children tribal marks, that is, if you intend on having children. It's really that simple. If you don't have tribal marks and you don't like the practice, then just take the initiative to help educate others about modernization and necessity. It's really that simple.

No offense meant to anyone.

Seal's marks were from an autoimmune disease and they appeared when he was in his early 20's and unknown but it never stopped him from building a music career.
the poster cannot let anything stop her.
The world is not kind to people without self confidence and she'll be treated based on how she portrays herself.

Kweenisha:

Seal's marks were from an autoimmune disease and they appeared when he was in his early 20's and unknown but it never stopped him from building a music career.
the poster cannot let anything stop her.
The world is not kind to people without self confidence and she'll be treated based on how she portrays herself.

Very true. I should have added that in my post.

Kweenisha:

Seal's marks were from an autoimmune disease and they appeared when he was in his early 20's and unknown but it never stopped him from building a music career.
the poster cannot let anything stop her.
The world is not kind to people without self confidence and she'll be treated based on how she portrays herself.

Seal is a millionaire . . . the poster is not. Big diff.
If the poster had $500m in her account today i doubt she'd be worried even if she had 92 tribal marks on her face. She'd be here asking us for help in whittling down her list of suitors.

Kweenisha:

Seal's marks were from an autoimmune disease and they appeared when he was in his early 20's and unknown but it never stopped him from building a music career.
the poster cannot let anything stop her.
The world is not kind to people without self confidence and she'll be treated based on how she portrays herself.

the poster is not letting her marks stop her . . .

but as a woman it is obvious that who you marry depends on those who approach you. Sincerely queen . . . if your brother brought home a chic with 32 prominent marks on her cheeks would you gladly welcome her with open arms?

@chinenyen
seal didnt start his life as a millionaire as he lived rough for quite a number of years,was deceived back to nigeria by his parents and suffered before he got his passport and went back to the uk
@poster
while i can only imagine what the marks will have done to your self esteem,i suggest you either go down the cosmetic sugery approach like others on here have adviced you,or not let it affect you, there are a lot of very sucessful men&women who have tribal marks ,one example ischief richard akinjide who is heavily tribal marked which did not stop him being admitted to the english bar and actually being one of the most respected african solicitors in the united kingdom before he relocated back to nigeria,it could have been worse and anytime you feel despondent about it,just think of permanently disabled girls who can never do anything to change their situation

DavidDylan:

Seal is a millionaire . . . the poster is not. Big diff.
If the poster had $500m in her account today i doubt she'd be worried even if she had 92 tribal marks on her face. She'd be here asking us for help in whittling down her list of suitors.

again David,seal got his "tribal marks" almost a decade before anyone ever heard of him but it didn't stop him.
That is my point

Kweenisha:

again David,seal got his "tribal marks" almost a decade before anyone ever heard of him but it didn't stop him.
That is my point

the poster is obviously not worried about getting a job or making it as an entertainer or padding her wallet with some benjamins.

She was not upfront about it but it is not farfetched to say her real problem is getting the men she likes to approach her.

Seal's case was a known medical problem . . . besides his unmistakeable talent carried him far enough that women were prepared to forget his face and marry him. Even if Seal were to lose his head tomorrow there will be no shortage of women ready to marry him.

Our poster here has no such advantage.

U didnt answer my ques though.

DavidDylan:

the poster is not letting her marks stop her . . .

but as a woman it is obvious that who you marry depends on those who approach you. Sincerely queen . . . if your brother brought home a chic with 32 prominent marks on her cheeks would you gladly welcome her with open arms?

haba David
did she say she had 32 tribal marks.Is there enough space on anybody's face for 32?
A relative of mine married a woman with a physical handicap, alady with a withered leg and we all love and accept her since she's the one he fell in love with but this lady is not handicapped.
Don't make it look like she's doomed