Pigment and personality From the moment we are born, life’s experiences start to mould us. We inherit certain character traits from our parents, of course. But, after that, external events and influences begin to have a cumulative effect on the people we become. We are not always conscious of this […]
Personal experience
49 posts
It feels like an impossible dream come true Have you ever had that dream? The one when your vitiligo repigments? You wake up in the morning and, for a few surreal moments, you feel a sense of elation because you believe that your patchy skin has returned to normal and […]
Azimuth, by Elayne Griffith How often do you read a really good work of fiction and find that the leading character has vitiligo? Almost never. And how often is that book a sci-fi novel? Never, ever, ever. Until now… Azimuth, by Elayne Griffith, is such a good read that I […]
A personal journey of determination and faith I have featured a number of personal vitiligo stories over recent months, all of them expressed from the viewpoint of the vitiligo sufferers themselves. But, as with many chronic health conditions, vitiligo can have a significant impact, not just on the individuals themselves, […]
“I have this under control for now” Last month’s post, How Vitiligo Makes You Feel, featured a variety of individuals sharing their innermost feelings about living with the skin condition. But for this month’s blog I am focussing on just one contributor, who kindly agreed to describe in more detail […]
Your reaction is your own Unlike many of my other blog posts, this one isn’t about vitiligo tips, research or treatments. So it may not feel as upbeat as most. But bear with me. My aim here is simply to highlight the impact that vitiligo has on real people. And […]
An interview with Shankar Jalota Better known online as The Vitiligo Man, Londoner Shankar Jalota has become a familiar face in the vitiligo community, and beyond. He was first diagnosed with the skin disorder at the age of fifteen and battled for years with low confidence and self-esteem, before finally […]
Taking peer support to a new level When life pulls the rug out from under you, as it sometimes does, what do you do? Do you bottle it up or do you look for help? Bottling it up isn’t a great option, as you will know if you’ve ever tried […]
You are not alone: Trisha’s story If you or a loved one are growing up with vitiligo you are not alone, even if it sometimes feels like you are. An estimated 70 million people around the world are living with the condition. And roughly 20 – 35 % of vitiligo […]
“Vitiligo, you won’t control me!” Part one of A Teenager’s Journey With Segmental Vitiligo (entitled Never Stop Fighting For Yourself) was an account of a teenage boy from the San Francisco Bay area whose diagnosis of segmental vitiligo started him on a three year quest for a cure. When his […]
A teenager’s journey with segmental vitiligo: part 1 “The most important lesson I want you to learn from my experiences is that you are never out of options and, no matter how long the recovery might take, you should never stop fighting for yourself.” It may surprise you to learn […]
As we approach the end of our second countrywide lock-down here in the UK, it is looking increasingly as if a return to something resembling normal will coincide with the arrival of spring. And I can’t think of a better boost to everyone’s morale than that. Maybe then we can […]
A journey of discovery Individuals’ experiences with vitiligo treatments vary enormously… The reason, I suppose, being that there are so many variables at play. There is no single cause of vitiligo. And there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. The pathway of the disease involves not just one route, but many. And […]
An interview with the author of Dappled I have enjoyed reading fiction ever since I was a little girl. And, like most avid readers, I have my favourite novelists and preferred styles of writing. There’s nothing I like more than to lose myself in a well crafted story and get […]
Missing finger prints AND missing pigment! I have a friend whose replacement hip always sets off the metal detectors whenever he goes through airport security. Of course, this is not especially unusual. After all, joint replacements are relatively commonplace. But it can be inconvenient, and even a little embarrassing, for […]
Five years on I’ve always been a massive fan of Dragons’ Den and loved seeing founder of Vitiliglow® Polly Gotschi appear back in 2015. Polly was successful in the Den (check out my blog about the show.) And, almost five years on, Vitiliglow® has changed hugely. I’m delighted that Polly has agreed to […]
Some self-care tips actually work It is always a thrill to see the before and after photos and progress reports that vitiligo friends send me. Those taken by 37 year old Vera from the Netherlands have been especially impressive. A year ago (at the time of writing this post) she […]
A story of gaining and losing new pigment I have had the pleasure of corresponding with Jean, off and on, for a while now. She first contacted me three years ago, having rediscovered my website. She explained that she had previously tried the same supplements I used for my recovery […]
Joel shares his experiences of losing and regaining his skin colour Most vitiligo therapies are designed to prevent or reverse pigment loss. But in extreme cases – typically when an individual has lost more than 50% of their skin colour – a more drastic approach may be used: total, chemically-induced […]
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 […]
2 conclusions and 4 tips for UV exposure Many of us have emerged from what has seemed like endless chilly winter months. And, naturally, we are relishing the light evenings and general warmth of summer. (Although, for many people with vitiligo, this brings with it additional anxiety over their skin.) […]