Last Updated on 13th May 2022 by Caroline Haye
The weird and wonderful world of skin colour: part 3
Continuing my Weird And Wonderful World Of Skin Colour series… It occurs to me that what is weird to some may be wonderful to others. Certainly, I always felt that having white patches on my skin was definitely weird. But it turns out there are far more bizarre pigmentation patterns than vitiligo. And these are so weird as to be truly wonderful. (If you would like to read parts one or two of this blog series first, then just click the relevant links.)
Some people think vitiligo is weird, others that it is wonderful
Most vitiligo sufferers are the object of curiosity at some time in their lives. Many are content to let their white patches show and would not consider themselves to be “sufferers” at all. This is thanks to a greater awareness of the condition and improved levels of support and solidarity. Especially among the vitiligo community online… Which appears to be a growing trend, and a very positive one in my opinion. But I must confess that I always belonged to that other (probably larger) group of individuals affected by vitiligo who prefer to keep their condition completely private.
For most of my 50 or so years of widespread vitiligo I was remarkably successful at hiding it. But, despite my best efforts, there were occasions when I attracted the attention of others. And I had to field the inevitable comments and questions that followed. “What happened to your hands?” “Did you know that you have some white eyelashes?” “Have you burned yourself?”, etc., etc. I am sure these sorts of questions (and the stares that went with them) will be familiar to many readers.
Pale skin: weird or wonderful?
If it’s any consolation, it seems you don’t have to have anything as out of the ordinary as two-tone skin to elicit unwanted comments… As this blogger with pale skin discovered. (I love her reaction to the woman on the beach!) It goes to show that you can have the most beautiful, smooth skin tone and still not live up to others’ expectations of “normal”. What is rather shocking is the fact that people feel justified in commenting at all… And that they don’t seem to consider they might be causing offence. I mean, let’s face it, in marginally different circumstances such comments would be considered racist and completely unacceptable
The various pigmentation patterns of mosaicism
If having irregular white patches (or even just a fair skin) is enough to prompt remarks from strangers, then spare a thought for those who live with less common pigmentary conditions. One such condition is called Cutaneous Mosaicism which, as the name suggests, results in mosaic-like patterns of pigmentation.
This genetic disorder occurs when the skin cells within the same individual have different genetic makeup. In other words, when two or more genetically different populations of cells exist side by side within a person’s skin. The two cell lines develop very early in the life of an embryo, resulting in one of several different pigmentary patterns. (Types of Mosaicism also occur in animals where they are a much more familiar sight.)
The various patterns are:
- Blaschko’s lines (divided into narrow or broad bands)
- Chequerboard (or checkerboard) pattern
- Phylloid (leaf-like) pattern
- Large patches (congenital melanocytic naevi)
- Lateralisation (CHILD syndrome)
The picture above is an example of Blaschko’s Lines Mosaicism. These lines, according to experts, trace the migration of embryonic cells. And, while they are invisible under normal conditions, they emerge when certain skin conditions are present. (Various documents suggest that segmental vitiligo may be one of these.)
Reading around this whole subject over the last few days has been an education. For one thing, it has made me realise just how many processes have to happen without a hitch, from the very moment a baby is conceived, in order for it to have the perfectly smooth and flawless skin… The type of skin that most people take for granted and regard as the norm. Which reminds me how unique and miraculous each human being is. And it also makes me wonder why it is that we, as a species, find it so hard to accept weird and wonderful markings and colours on other humans. And yet we appreciate their beauty when we see them elsewhere in the animal kingdom.
