A WOMAN who was called ‘skeleton face’ by bullies has received an official diagnosis for her condition after years of seeking help.

Emma Sealey, from Colchester, was a healthy weight as a child.

However, at 11-years-old, and as a student at Colchester Academy, she began experiencing anxiety and lost weight.

Emma, now 31 and a team manager at the East of England Co-op, struggled to put the weight back on around her face and was bullied for her appearance.

However, after her story was published in the Gazette and other national newspapers, she now has an official diagnosis.

She said: “I joined a group discussion on a Facebook page about insecurities.

“I told of how in the past and unfortunately still to this day I get nasty spiteful comments, calling me anorexic and saying I look sick.

“The result of this post was amazing, girls were saying models pay for cheekbones like mine, there is nothing wrong with me, and I should ignore the comments. But this is easier said than done.

“The power of social media and newspapers led me to find out I has this rare condition most doctors have not even heard of.

“A lady in New York contacted me who has the condition, then a consultant messaged me and put me in contact with specialists at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

“I attended an appointment and came away with a diagnosis.”

Aquired partial lipodystrophy is the inability to store fat in the face or the top half.

Also known as Barraquer-Simons syndrome, it is the loss of fat from the face, neck, shoulders, arms and chest, which can effect facial features. There are only 250 reported cases.

After getting the diagnosis, Emma said she felt upset at the lack of knowledge around the condition.

She said: “I was relieved, but scared of being labelled. There is no cure, nothing can be done unless I want cosmetic surgery and facial fillers.

“It is not hereditary nor can I pass it on if I have children in the future.

“I found a Facebook group called Lipodystrophy United, and realised there are people all over the world with different types of this condition.

“It’s just rare and little is known about it. I would like people to know and understand more about it.”

She now needs regular check ups, blood tests, diabetes checks and liver scans to make sure she is not storing fat on her internal organs. World Lipodystrophy Day is on March 31.

She said: “Some days I forget, other days I feel ugly, I don’t go anywhere without make up on.

“I get paranoid when people look at me. I’m concious of pictures being taken. I always have to double check how the photo looks.

“In a way I have become obsessed about my appearance. The only change I can make is if I want to go down the route of cosmetic surgery and facial fillers.”