I have had vitiligo for 21 yrs since the age of 8. It is very extensive plus my whole body was affected…initially it was difficult especially growing up. I hated myself and wished I was dead and hey, I also had the wish that one day I would wake up and it would all go away.
But surprise, surprise, it never did. So what did I do? I decided I wouldn’t let it get the better of me. Up until the age of 18…I didn’t wear makeup. I had a dark complexion. So yeah it was very noticeable.
People would laugh and stare and point. It was hard, I won’t deny it, but I had to go out there and live my life I couldn’t stay cooped up in the house. From the age of 8 my mum would encourage me to engage in social activities and go out there and live life like any other human being… and I’m glad that I have.
I realized that I had to work a little bit harder for people to give me a chance to get to know me and to see beyond my vitiligo. And when they did…they saw me: my personality and my infectious sense of humor. People liked me for who I was and not what I looked like and that’s the way it should be.
A person can look completely beautiful/handsome, but if they are horrible within, or have no substance, who wants to know them? no one..BEAUTY LIES WITHIN..and if someone doesn’t like u for who u are..then THEY are not worth knowing.
I am proud to say that despite my vitiligo, the opposite sex has always found me attractive and they found the fact that I was “out there” attractive. Also, I started wearing makeup to cover up and my life completely changed. I was getting attention like I wouldn’t believe.
I can’t deny it has been a difficult haul, but here I am 20 yrs later, now a doctor and happily married with loads of friends. I am happy to say that I haven’t let the vitiligo ruin my life and I don’t want it to ruin any of your lives either. Yes, it gets u down. It still does for me from time to time, but let’s live with it.
Find solutions to work with the problem and not let it get the better of you. There are treatments/camouflage options etc…find out what is out there and waste no time…we are normal, we just look different.
Your life is waiting to be lived..so live it…you deserve to…and remember BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER !!!