Pregnancy can be a beautiful journey, but for one Malaysian woman, it brought unexpected changes to her appearance.

Farah Faizal, a marketing manager, posted two unfiltered photos on X (formerly Twitter) showing how her face transformed during pregnancy. In the first photo, her skin was smooth and glowing.

In the second, her face was red, covered in painful cyst-like acne, and her nose had noticeably swollen. Deep lines had also formed on her cheeks, forehead, and around her nose.

She said she was thankful she didn’t have morning sickness, but two months into her pregnancy, her skin began to change. Painful pimples appeared, her skin turned red as if sunburned, and her nose gradually became larger as her pregnancy progressed.

By the later months, her smile lines had deepened, wrinkles appeared on her forehead and between her eyebrows, and she felt she looked older than before.

At one point, Farah broke down and asked a friend why other pregnant women looked radiant while she was struggling with her appearance. Comparing herself to influencers who seemed flawless made her feel insecure, though she wasn’t deeply sad.

Her husband reassured her that the changes were only temporary and reminded her she was still beautiful in his eyes. Her best friend encouraged her to speak openly about her experience, which gave her the courage to share it online.

Farah explained that pregnancy affects every woman differently and is not always easy. She also advised men to appreciate the sacrifices women make for childbirth and not dismiss their experiences.

Speaking to Malaysian media, she said she wanted to raise awareness of the parts of pregnancy that aren’t often talked about, beyond the cute bump and baby kicks.

She gave birth in July and is now recovering. One month postpartum, her skin is slowly healing, and she has started monthly laser treatments to help it recover.

Farah hopes her story reminds people that every pregnancy journey is unique and deserves understanding and respect.