Vitiligo and Mental Health: Face the World with Confidence

‘Face the World with Confidence’ says the author who suffered from Vitiligo since childhood.

Almost one percent world population is living today with Vitiligo, a condition in which white patches develop on the skin. But, more than appearance, this autoimmune disorder is affecting people’s psychological health as 90 percent of these patients are going through mental and emotional upheavals. Also, this pigmentary disorder is equally prevalent among men and women. Since vitiligo patches may occur anywhere on the body, including the face, hands, and feet, which mostly remain uncovered, it directly attacks their confidence level. Besides, misconceptions and myths regarding vitiligo in society do everything to aggravate sufferers’ social and professional life.

Derma experts are still researching the exact causes of this skin discoloring problem. However, a majority of them attribute it to the loss of melanin or pigmentation in the epidermis. According to them, due to some reason, the pigment-forming cells known as melanocytes start depleting and that leads to vitiligo. It might be an autoimmune condition where the safeguard system of the body turns on its cells instead of invading germs. It mainly occurs early in life, between ages 10 and 30.

In India, vitiligo is not uncommon and surveys show that 2-5% of people are affected by it. In a country where people are obsessed with fair skin, vitiligo comes more as a mental trauma than a skin-related problem. Vitiligo is mainly seen as impure, unattractive, and embarrassing.

There are empirical pieces of evidence that vitiligo affects a person’s mental health hugely and that results in lifestyle alterations, often becoming less active in social activities or wearing long-sleeves/pants year-round to cover visible vitiligo. Relationships may be affected by a poor self-image or lack of self-confidence.

Alongside medical treatment and care, society needs to come forward with a proactive approach and that will surely help people with vitiligo to cope up with not only the stigma attached to it but also increase their confidence. The treatment essentially depends on the age and how much skin needs improving, and how much has vitiligo affected one.

Some experts also say some supplements can help phototherapy be more effective, including Alpha-lipoic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B12. With these supplements, having the right mindset is necessary to live fully and face the world with confidence. Moreover, it is the patients’ inner strength and confidence that can help them significantly.

I am a vitiligo patient since my childhood. I wish I knew the cure. Unfortunately, there is none. But soon I realized that I will have to make my way and face the world with confidence. Vitiligo patients feel embarrassed and avoid facing the world. Creating awareness is my mission now and with Vitiligo India on Instagram, I tell people that it is your life and you have to find out ways to live with confidence.

About the author - 

Branding Specialist & Influencer. Founder of Vitiligo India on Instagram