A BEAUTY pageant contestant proudly shows off a scar on her chest from open heart surgery and says: "I won't be covering it up - it's who I am."
Crystal Pincott, 23, underwent surgery to close an hole in her heart in January after being diagnosed with a life-limiting heart condition that affects blood flow.
The nine-hour operation left her with a visible scar in the middle of her chest, but it has not stopped her wearing the same clothes and competing in pageants.
Crystal, the current Miss Elegance of the World UK, will not cover the scar up when she jets off to Florida to compete in the global Miss Elegance competition.
She said: "I carry on wearing the same outfits as before. It's who you are.
"People suggested 'why don't you cover it up with a tattoo or make-up'. I just leave it. There's not point in trying to hide it. It doesn't stop me doing the beauty pageants."
Crystal, an extra and ex-teaching assistant, from Taunton, Somerset said she always struggled being out of breath when she is running or even walking up the stairs.
The keen horse rider visited her GP in late 2022 and was diagnosed with suffers from Sinus venosus Atrial Septal Defect following blood tests and an MRI.
Crystal said: "I knew it was something deeper than not being fit enough, but I didn't expect it would be anything major.
"The only option was to have heart surgery to be able to fulfil a normal life."
She believes that if she'd gone undiagnosed, she would have had a "sudden death" and no one would know why.
Crystal had the operation at Bristol Heart Institute on January 5, 2024 to cover the hole and to move the arteries and let the blood flow.
She had been hoping doctors would be able to perform keyhole surgery to avoid a scar but she was told the only option was open heart surgery.
Crystal, who was in hospital for a week and has spent six months recovering, added: "I'm taking it quite slowly still. "I have to be careful with the scar. I had all my bones in front of my heart broken."
Crystal knew straight away that she didn't want to let her scar affect her. She wears the same outfits which reveal her chest and her scar, adding: "There's nothing I can really do. I can't hide it."
The current Miss Elegance of the World UK title holder is excited to get back to her pageants, which she has been competing in since 2022.
She is jetting off to Florida, US this month to compete in the global Miss Elegance competition.
Crystal said: "It's a lot more than looks and appearance.
"I hope to encourage people to do the same. Don't hide away from it. "It [Pageants] doesn't cut off race, if you have scars or spots - they're not going to be judgemental.
"It's been an amazing confidence boost."