Yeah, patience definitely helps. I remember after getting braces off, I kept feeling like my teeth looked weirdly huge and unnatural. Took a while to realize it was just me being hyper-aware. Honestly, the less you focus on it, the quicker it fades into the background. Distracting yourself with other stuff—hobbies, friends, whatever—really speeds things up. Hang in there, it'll pass.
"Honestly, the less you focus on it, the quicker it fades into the background."
I get what you're saying, but sometimes that's easier said than done... especially for younger kids. My daughter recently had a haircut she hated, and telling her not to think about it just made her more self-conscious. Instead, we acknowledged it openly and even joked about it a bit. Honestly, normalizing it seemed to help her bounce back faster than distraction alone. Different things work for different people, I guess.
I totally get your point about normalizing it, but honestly, sometimes openly acknowledging it can backfire too. When I had a dental procedure go wrong, everyone kept joking about my swollen face. They meant well, but it actually made me more anxious and self-conscious. What helped me most was just quietly accepting it myself and letting time pass... guess it really depends on the person and situation.
Totally relate to this. Had my first ever minor surgery recently (nothing serious, just a mole removal), and I was already super anxious about it. Afterwards, my friends kept making jokes about the bandage on my face—calling me "pirate" and stuff. I knew they were just trying to lighten the mood, but honestly, it made me even more self-conscious. Eventually, I just laughed along a bit and then quietly waited it out. Like you said, sometimes just giving yourself space to accept it helps way more than openly talking or joking about it. Guess humor isn't always the best medicine... at least not for everyone.
I get what you mean about humor not always helping. When my daughter had stitches on her forehead, relatives kept joking about her "Harry Potter scar." They meant well, but it just made her more upset. Sometimes quiet support works better than jokes... at least in our experience.
