Content creator Danielle Bryce says she was obsessed with lip and cheek filler and “hated” how she looked
Credit: Kennedy News/daniellebrycey
NEED TO KNOW
- Danielle Bryce, 44, discovered her autism diagnosis after her daughter was diagnosed, leading to a transformative self-realization
- Bryce previously spent £22,000 ($30,000) on cosmetic procedures to combat insecurities tied to undiagnosed autism and body dysmorphia
- She dissolved her fillers and embraced a natural look, calling her diagnosis the start of her “unmasking” process
One mom is looking to end stigma by sharing her experience with undiagnosed autism.
Danielle Bryce, 44, of South Yorkshire, England, is a mother of seven and a content creator who regularly shares videos about her late-in-life autism diagnosis and how it impacted her looks for years.
Bryce told Kennedy News and Media that an obsession with lip and cheek filler, thick fake eyelashes and a breast enlargement led her to spend £22,000 (around $30,000) on her appearance.
“I hated everything about myself,” she told the news agency. “I can’t remember a time not [feeling insecure]. It’d probably be at school when I first started to notice that I was different.”
Credit: Kennedy News/daniellebrycey
Bryce said she struggled with body dysmorphia, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. To combat the feelings, at the time, she took anti-anxiety medication and had therapy, but didn’t find any help.
“When I got into my 30s I was really unhappy with myself and spent money on surgeries,” she shared. “I got massive lips and cheek fillers and jawline fillers. It was ridiculous and I looked insane. I remember being shy about my teeth, I had a slight overlap. When I laughed my hands were always over my mouth. I had a breast enlargement that was way too big and I suffer from backache from them now, I hate it. I remember just showing them off all the time. I wanted people to look at me and think ‘she looks so good.’ ”
Credit: Kennedy News/daniellebrycey
The dysmorphia and discomfort in her own skin led her to wear lots of makeup when she left the house, which she said would attract the attention of men.
However, in 2024, one of her daughters was diagnosed with autism, and after being tested, Bryce discovered that she too had the condition. She went on to dissolve her filler and adopt a more natural look.
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“I felt absolute relief [getting diagnosed], and I sobbed. Self-compassion is what you gain from diagnosis,” she shared. “I just wanted to be me again. You have to learn who you are, you’ve masked for so long you don’t know where the mask ends and you begin.”
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She called her diagnosis the beginning of her “unmasking” process.
“I wish I knew about autism and ADHD, my life would’ve looked very different and it would’ve saved me from a lot of hardship,” she said. “Understanding your own mind is freedom.”
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