The Outlook on Vitiligo

Now that we have a better idea of how vitiligo occurs, we can develop better treatments to address this process.

I’ve gone through a lot of personal growth since I was a kid. Now I feel perfect in my skin and have nothing to hide. It’s liberating.

Historically, dermatologists have dismissed vitiligo as just a cosmetic concern. I’ve had many people come to me in desperation after they’ve gone through five or six other dermatologists who have told them their condition is just not a big deal. But research shows that people of color have a more negative attitude towards their vitiligo than those with lighter skin.

When you have vitiligo, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only person in the world living with the disease. But you’re not. There’s a whole village of us out there.

Something a child said helped me start to shift my perspective. I was working at a camp and this little girl told me that I was a butterfly. She identified my spots as a butterfly, as something beautiful.

A lot of people with vitiligo see a dermatologist, but they don’t talk to their primary care provider about their condition. But other autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid disease, are associated with it. My primary care physician does a full bloodwork panel at my annual physical.

I think it’s important for me to educate my patients with vitiligo, especially children, so they can explain what vitiligo is to other people, such as on the playground or in school.