Katie Piper’s Face to Face

Last Updated on 7th May 2021 by Caroline Haye

Vitiligo on TV makeover show

Earlier this month I watched Katie Piper’s Face to Face, a TV documentary on Britain’s Channel 4 presented by a former model, in which she invited women with a variety of face-altering skin conditions to have a makeover. What made this programme so different from all the other makeover shows I have ever seen was that Katie herself has severe facial scars… Scars she sustained several years ago when she was the victim of an acid attack. And, unbeknown to her guests, each of the make-up artists on the show shared the same facial condition as the person they were making up.  The whole show was absorbing but I was, of course, particularly interested in the #vitiligo-makeover.

The big reveal

The most dramatic twist of all was “reverse big reveal” at the end of each makeover. This was when, to the surprise of the person sitting in the make-up chair, the artist wiped off their own cosmetics to reveal that they too had the same condition. The effect of this was both moving and uplifting because it was the last thing they expected to happen. And, in a strange way, it was an intimate moment.

This was definitely not your average makeover show. (Although there were some useful tips for anyone interested in cosmetics and camouflage). And it was certainly not about glamorous professionals helping to transform poor, needy victims by teaching them to hide their scars.

It did show that make-up is potentially empowering for anyone whose face is different from the accepted norm. But that it is a personal choice. And, more importantly, it was evidence of the power of shared experience and mutual compassion… In this case, between the guests and their make-up artists (some of whom were self-taught, rather than professionals). Their reactions were a reminder of the tremendous power of mutual support. Because, no matter how sympathetic another person may be, it takes someone who has been through a face-altering experience to truly understand what it’s like.

One shared experience: two different ways of coping

The show also highlighted the different ways in which individuals cope with their skin condition. Rochelle (the guest with vitiligo) had come to terms with her two-tone skin. So much so, that she actually found the cosmetic transformation into airbrushed perfection rather unnerving. Nancy (the artist who performed the makeover), on the other hand, relies on cosmetic camouflage to give her the confidence she needs each day to feel comfortable in her own skin.

I found myself in awe of Rochelle’s attitude. But I completely related to Nancy’s. Because my reaction to having vitiligo had always been to hide it at all costs and every time I removed my make-up and looked in the mirror it use to make me miserable. For me, the most powerful part of their interaction was seeing both of them instantly empathise with the other… While accepting that they each had completely different, yet equally valid, ways of coping on a daily basis.

Exposure and coverage

It is good to see exposure and discussion of vitiligo in such an open and constructive way on mainstream TV. I am guessing that this will have been the first time that many viewers have ever seen or heard of vitiligo. I have always enjoyed a good play on words. So it strikes me as strangely fitting that a condition that presents each individual with a choice between exposure or (cosmetic) coverage should be in such need of both media exposure and media coverage! There is still a shockingly poor level of awareness and understanding of it, in comparison to other skin conditions.

This widespread ignorance is one of the reasons so many people choose to cover their patches up. (A fact that, of course, helps to perpetuate that ignorance). After all, even if you are not particularly self-conscious, who wants to keep having to explain to people what the white spots are? Isn’t it just simpler to hide them and pretend they aren’t there? That was my feeling prior to my recovery. And, I have to admit that it is probably how I would still feel today. It was my coping strategy then and I don’t suppose I would be much different now. But I do think that the more exposure vitiligo has in the media, the easier it will become for each person to decide for themselves whether to hide or not to hide their condition.

Katie’s own attitude is a wonderful example

It seems to me that Katie Piper herself has developed a wonderfully positive and balanced attitude towards the role of make-up for those with skin imperfections. At the start of the show, she admits that, like anyone else, she worries about her appearance. But, on the subject of make-up, she says she has come to see it as a friend she can call upon when she needs it but never be dependent on.

Watching the show prompted me to find out more about its inspirational host. And it is clear from Katie’s story that she has emerged from her own utterly horrifying ordeal a stronger and more successful person… One with a heartfelt desire to use her painful experiences to help others overcome their physical, and emotional scars too.   

​If you did not see the show it is available to view on this link:
https://youtu.be/9FMg6f9WSg0