Louise Redknapp reveals Eternal fame's devastating toll on her confidence

has bravely come forward about the personal battles with her image that have impacted her career and confidence over the years.

At 50, and previously named one of the sexiest women of the 90s, Louise revealed that despite her accolades, shehat affect millions, such as struggling with skin conditions and the fear of being caught off-guard by photographers.

Her appearances anxiety didn't just affect her career; it affected her ability to seize the day and cherish experiences, with her confidence taking a particular hit post-pregnancy when her skin issues intensified.

The ex-Eternal singer reflected: "There's been lots of times in life that maybe being worried of how I looked has held me back from really living in the moment and enjoying things."

Louise spoke candidly about her constant beach anxiety, saying: "Every moment being on the beach, worrying that somebody might take a picture of you in an unflattering angle. I spent most of my holidays lying flat in the hope that no one would spot me."

Pigmentation problems in her skin only added to her stress, especially after her first child, when she felt like she was carrying “the map” on her face. She disclosed: "I said that I looked like I had the world map on my face."

In a reveal of the severity of her skin challenges, Louise mentioned a dermatologist's reaction: "The pigmentation that I suffered with after having my first child saw one dermatologist say it was the worst they had seen in a really long time.

"And it really affected my confidence, because on one hand, I was so happy having this gorgeous baby, and on the other hand, I didn't know what I was going to do with my face."

Louise has spoken out about her past struggles with self-image after teaming up with Love Island's , Married At First Sight's relationship guru Paul C Brunson, and writer Louise Pentland, all united by their experiences with hyperpigmentation. They recently participated in a live billboard event orchestrated by Beiersdorf, the company behind NIVEA and Eucerin, designed to inspire confidence in others with the same skin condition.

The campaign is titled 'I AM... Thiamidol' and features four poignant interviews where each personality delves into their journey towards skin confidence.

However, despite her previous insecurities, Louise is optimistic that today's musical artists have the freedom to be more open and vulnerable than she felt permitted during her chart-topping days in the 1990s and early 2000s.

She reflects: "I think I come from an era in music where everything was so sort of perfect and you never really got to show your true self at all, because every time you went out and you did anything, there was hair, there was makeup, there was the whole kind of showbiz element behind it.

"I feel as time's gone on, especially in today's world, we're so open about talking about mental health, anxiety, actually, talking about yourself, which shows a real of strength and character."

Even on days when her skin isn't cooperating, Louise maintains a toolkit of methods for staying upbeat regardless of how she feels inside.

Louise shared her thoughts, saying: "I think we've got to accept we're not always going to stay really positive but remember that not everybody's seeing what you're seeing.

"The things that we think are terrible - blemishes on our face, pigment on our face - people might notice it, but it's not the first thing they judge you on, and if it is, you don't want to know them anyway.

"Trying to keep a positive mental attitude is really tough but just remember that everybody's fighting their own battles and believe you me, whatever you're fighting at that time will not beat the forefront of their mind."

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