Woman who 'doesn't feel beautiful' after living with fleshy lumps on her face for TWENTY years and being branded 'crater face' by bullies has them 'snipped' off by Dr Pimple Popper

  • Traci, from US, has battled with severe fleshy bumps over her face for 20 years
  • Told how she was bullied and even branded 'crater' face by cruel bullies
  • She will appear in tonight's brand new episode of TLC's Dr Pimple Popper 

By Chloe Morgan For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A woman branded 'crater face' by bullies has her lumps 'snipped' off during bloody surgery in Dr Pimple Popper.

In tonight's stomach-churning episode of the TLC show, Traci, from the US, explains how she has been living with severe, fleshy bumps all over her face for over 20 years. 

Having had the bumps from a young age, her condition worsened considerably when she hit puberty, spreading to her nose and forehead. 

Making matters worse, Traci admits her attempts to seek medical advice haven't been productive. 

'I had a specialist that I went to, I really wasn't very pleased about it,' she reveals. 'He said he got 90 per cent of them but I've got a scar across here [her forehead] and it doesn't look like he touched anything.' 

In tonight's episode of TLC's Dr Pimple Popper, Traci (pictured), from the US, explains how she's had fleshy bumps over her face for 20 years

In tonight's episode of TLC's Dr Pimple Popper, Traci (pictured), from the US, explains how she's had fleshy bumps over her face for 20 years

Traci says that while she's had the bumps from a young age, her condition worsened considerably when she hit puberty - and they eventually spread to her nose and forehead. Pictured, with Dr Sandra Lee

Traci says that while she's had the bumps from a young age, her condition worsened considerably when she hit puberty - and they eventually spread to her nose and forehead. Pictured, with Dr Sandra Lee

Dr Lee (pictured) explains the spots are 'trichoepitheliomas' - firm and rubbery bumps that can occur in tightly packed concentrations on the skin

Dr Lee (pictured) explains the spots are 'trichoepitheliomas' - firm and rubbery bumps that can occur in tightly packed concentrations on the skin

As a result of her lumps and bumps, Traci struggles with her confidence.

'I really try to be outgoing but it's all a show, because I just want to cover up,' she admits. 'I feel like I'm constantly being judged.'

Having lived with lumps for most of her life, Traci reveals they made going to college particularly difficult, and that she suffered from bullying as a result of her appearance, which stills affects her deeply to this day. 

'In about the eighth grade I got dubbed "crater face" by a bully, that's when everything took a toll,' an emotional Traci reveals. 'Words are really deep-seeded, you sit and dwell on them and they take hold of your life. I don't feel beautiful in any way shape or form.' 

Traci's insecurities are so severe that she struggles to believe her husband when he compliments her.

'He tells me all the time how beautiful I am, and I just think he's crazy,' she says. 

Speaking of the emotional abuse she's received because of her skin, Traci says: 'In about the eighth grade I got dubbed "crater face" by a bully, that's when everything took a toll.' Pictured, the bumps on Traci's forehead

Speaking of the emotional abuse she's received because of her skin, Traci says: 'In about the eighth grade I got dubbed "crater face" by a bully, that's when everything took a toll.' Pictured, the bumps on Traci's forehead

Traci's insecurities are so severe she says she struggles to believe her husband when he compliments her. Pictured, the lumps on Traci's chin

Traci's insecurities are so severe she says she struggles to believe her husband when he compliments her. Pictured, the lumps on Traci's chin

At the end of her tether, Traci bravely makes the trip from Idaho to California to visit dermatological surgeon Dr Sandra Lee, aka Dr Pimple Popper, to see if she can help get rid of the bumps once and for all. 

After taking one look at her face, the expert already has a good idea what the bumps are. 

'I see all these flesh color bumps on her face, but I really pay attention to the distribution of the bumps,' Dr Lee says, before offering her a spot diagnosis: Trichoepitheliomas, firm and rubbery bumps that can occur in tightly packed concentrations on the skin.'

The bad news for Traci is that there is no quick fix for this condition, and it can take multiple sessions to see a difference. 

But the good news is that Dr Lee is ready to start straight away, helping to remove the bigger lumps and flatten down the skin on Traci's face. 

Lying down on the operating table, Traci is given a local anaesthetic to numb her face, before the expert methodically starts slicing, cutting and snipping away at the lumps, carefully removing them. 

It's a messy procedure, leaving bloody blemishes on Traci's skin as Dr Lee works her way down her face. 

Dr Sandra Lee gives Traci (pictured) a local anaesthetic to numb her face, before she methodically starts slicing, cutting and snipping away at the lumps and carefully removing them

Dr Sandra Lee gives Traci (pictured) a local anaesthetic to numb her face, before she methodically starts slicing, cutting and snipping away at the lumps and carefully removing them

Traci is left with bloody blemishes on her skin as Dr Sandra Lee works her way down her face (pictured)

Traci is left with bloody blemishes on her skin as Dr Sandra Lee works her way down her face (pictured)

With the bulk of the big bumps removed, Dr Lee starts smoothing out the affected area by using a CO2 laser, which finely burns away at the raised patches of Traci's skin.  

Overwhelmed, Traci cannot thank Dr Lee enough and says tearfully: 'I can't even express how grateful I am for what she was willing to do to help me. I think finally I'm at a point where I can let the past be in the past and start fresh and new.' 

Fast forward a couple of months and a second round of treatment later, Traci looks and feels like a new person. 

'Holy moly, I almost don't have the words to articulate right now just how incredible I feel and how much better I look!' she enthuses. 'I've never felt beautiful until now!'

The new series of Dr Pimple Popper premieres at 10pm tonight exclusively on TLC

After removing the majority of Traci's big bumps, Dr Lee starts smoothing out the affected area by using a CO2 laser (pictured)

After removing the majority of Traci's big bumps, Dr Lee starts smoothing out the affected area by using a CO2 laser (pictured)

Following the procedure, Traci (pictured) is overwhelmed with the results and enthuses: 'I've never felt beautiful until now!'

Following the procedure, Traci (pictured) is overwhelmed with the results and enthuses: 'I've never felt beautiful until now!'

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