Last Updated on 21st June 2022 by Caroline Haye
Thanks to everyone who has been willing to share their re-pigmentation stories
This month’s post is just a quick one, as so many people are on their holidays at the moment. (And if you are taking a break from your gadgets you may not even see this!) I shall also be away for a couple of weeks myself enjoying some extra summer sunshine. But, before I go, I’d like to highlight some summer success for vitiligo sufferers.
Not that there has been any shortage of fabulous weather here this summer. Temperatures in the high 20s and even mid-30s have encouraged us Brits to indulge in our favourite hobby (talking about the weather) even more than usual. Comments like “If you think it’s hot here, you should have been in such-and-such a place last week. Now THAT was hot!” are to be heard all over the country. And much of the normally pasty-faced portion of our population that owe their colouring to an Anglo-saxon heritage have been hanging out in pavement cafes and lounging on beaches at every opportunity, showing off their deep Mediterranean tan and feeling ever-so-European in spite of all the talk of Brexit.
Long, hot summers can be an endurance test
Not everyone shares a love of sunny weather though. Long, hot summers can be a real endurance test for anyone suffering from vitiligo. And the question of “should I or shouldn’t I expose my skin to the sun?” can be a difficult one… Not just due to possible embarrassment at revealing those white patches. But also because of the risk of burning them.
But the fact is that it takes UV light to stimulate the body’s tanning process. And, as long as you also ensure you are getting the right nutrition for the purpose, sunshine can (in my opinion) be the best therapy of all for vitiligo.
One thing is for sure, it’s harder to ignore your vitiligo when the weather is hot and sunny. And this summer I have been receiving a much higher number of emails on the subject of how to cope in these conditions. But I’m happy to say that I have also received a higher number than ever of good news stories… Stories from those of you who have been re-gaining lost pigment. And I am grateful to everyone who has offered to share their story or their photos on the site in order to give hope to all the vitiligo sufferers out there who have been told that the condition is hopeless or irreversible.
I am constantly adding to the Vitiligo Success Stories page on this site whenever I get the time. (And obviously only with the consent of each individual.) I understand perfectly that not everyone wants to have their pictures published, even if they are mainly anonymous. But I would like to publicly thank everyone who has taken the time to contact me with their #vitiligo-success-stories. Thank you too for all your encouraging comments over the years (not just this summer). I am especially grateful to those of you who have specifically asked me to share your feedback, knowing how uplifting this is likely to be for others. I look forward to receiving, and sharing, a lot more as time goes by.
