Summary

As a child, Alexie faced crippling insecurity and body dysmorphia as the result of his persistent acne. He writes, “I’ve never read a scientific study about the psychological effects of having extensive acne—but I do remember feeling freakish and ugly. I felt disfigured” (208). Even as an adult, Alexie remains hyperaware of the scars that remained, especially the acne scars on his back.

This self-consciousness that plagued Alexie was exhibited in his diligence over his son’s complexions. He states that, “For me, “Wash your face” is another way to say “I love you” (209). It has also manifested itself in Alexie’s inability to allow anybody to touch the scarred skin on his back, including his wife. Over the course of his life, he often contemplated whether evil forces had scarred him or if he had been the even one who was...