Demi Lovato's regret over self-harm explanation

Demi Lovato still regrets her publicist telling fans the self-harming scars on the Disney star's wrist were indents left by bracelets.

Lovato was just 16 when she was photographed in 2008 with red scratches on her inner wrist, prompting gossips to speculate that the singer/actress was depressed.

A spokesperson tried to protect Lovato's reputation by claiming the marks were imprints left by tight plastic bracelets, but the Skyscraper hitmaker admits the cover-up was lame.

She tells Elle magazine, "I don't think I would have been ready to talk about (my problems) then, but I could've come up with something better than gummy bracelets. Needless to say, that publicist is no longer (working) with us..."

Lovato entered a treatment centre last year (10) to deal with an eating disorder and self-injury issues. Doctors diagnosed her with bipolar disorder.