Demi Lovato has spoken honestly and openly about self-harming, calling her scars in a way "beautiful" and a reminder of her personal journey.

The singer and actress has battled a number of problems in recent times and entered a rehab facility last year.

Speaking to Glamour magazine, Lovato however said that she feels her self-harm scars are a symbol of how far she has come on in terms of overcoming her personal problems, calling them "battle wounds". She said:

"I think scars are like battle wounds - beautiful, in a way. They show what you've been through and how strong you are for coming out of it. My tattoos say "Stay strong." "Stay" on one [wrist] and "strong" on the other. Now I'm able to look at them and be thankful for being alive. I think that I've been blessed over the past year to be able to start over."

As previously reported, Lovato recently spoke of how thankful she is to have come so far over the past year.

Watch Demi Lovato's 'Skyscraper' below: