I never thought of my skin as fragile. It was just... skin. It did its job. It protected me, healed when damaged, and generally held up to whatever life threw at it. But somewhere along the way, that changed. Now I notice things I never used to. A minor bump leaves a bruise that lasts for weeks. The skin on my arms seems thinner, more transparent. Even pulling off a bandage feels risky, like I might tear something that won’t heal properly.
It’s not dramatic. It’s not something anyone else would notice. But I notice. That subtle shift from skin that felt resilient to skin that feels vulnerable. Like the protective barrier I always took for granted has quietly weakened.