Last Updated on 11th July 2023 by Caroline Haye
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 sent me several, which you can see by scrolling down on the Vitiligo Success Stories page. And last month she sent some more. These included the image above, showing that even hard-to-treat areas like the insides of her wrists are re-pigmenting well. When asked, she very kindly agreed to tell me her story so that I could share it here. Her success demonstrates that it pays to be proactive in searching for help. And it proves that, whilst it’s important to exercise a high degree of caution when browsing for vitiligo help on the internet, some self-care vitiligo tips you find there can actually work.
These are Vera’s experiences of having vitiligo (and turning it around) in her own words…
It started at the age of twelve with a spot in my groin. Soon I had it on both sides of my groin. For a long time I only had it there. Slowly, more and more patches appeared. On my knees, my armpits, my arms and my ankles. Especially after my two pregnancies, at the age of 30 and 32, the smaller spots expanded into larger ones. I do not know the total percentage of skin affected exactly, but I think about 20 percent of my body lost its colour.
As for any family history, I have one cousin with vitiligo. I did not really have any other health problems, although I had gestational diabetes during my first pregnancy. Whether this is related or not I don’t know. I do suspect that I did not properly absorb nutrients. I also think that certain foods such as dairy and gluten played a role.
“The doctors told us to prepare for things to get worse”
At the age of twelve, when we discovered my first patch, we went to the doctor. He said it was probably vitiligo and referred me through the dermatologist. The dermatologist said that little could be done about it and gave me a cream that didn’t work. I felt really bad about having vitiligo, especially because there was nothing to be done about it. It made me feel very insecure because the doctors told us to prepare for things to get worse. After a few years I had light therapy for a while but I didn’t last long because it was a big task to go to the hospital three times a week.
Vitiligo research on the internet
In the following years I tried everything that was offered on the internet. They all promised that their product worked for sure. This was unfortunately not true… Until I came across the story of Caroline on thevitpro.com. I felt immediately confident when I read this and ordered the Boost and Five a Day supplements. There are many suppliers of products with empty promises, but I also learned a lot about vitiligo during my research and thevitpro website helped me a lot with this.
At this point I made an appointment with the dermatologist. This time I received a UVB lamp to use at home along with the nutritional supplements. So I didn’t have to go to the hospital all the time.
How Vera felt about her vitiligo
Having vitiligo often made me feel unsure of myself. Especially in the summer when I went swimming. Camouflage was then my best friend.
Only the people close to me knew that I had vitiligo. I think others have never known it because it is in places that are normally underneath clothing. If I went swimming, or if I was wearing shorts or a skirt, I camouflaged it and then you could hardly see it. My friends and family thought that camouflage was not necessary, but I was not so confident.
Sunny weather was the hardest, but I didn’t let it ruin my summers. I love the sun and vacations and my camouflage skills got better every year. In the winter I had no problems at all.
I do think that vitiligo has changed me as a person. If I hadn’t had it, I would have been more confident about my body.
“I am so happy that I have never given up hope and have always been looking for a solution.”
The worst thing about having vitiligo has been the uncertainty and fear of it spreading. But I have learned so much about my body through vitiligo. That is why I started living healthier. Furthermore, I hardly eat gluten and dairy any more. (And, by the way, I now notice that I have a bloated belly much less often as a result.)
Vera’s message to others with vitiligo
If I could offer any advice or inspiration to others with vitiligo, it would be this. Do not give up because there is something to do about it, even though everyone tells you there is not. I really recommend Boost and Five a Day in combination with UVB light. I am so happy that I have never given up hope and have always been looking for a solution. It feels so good to see more and more brown dots appear. But it takes time, so don’t give up too soon.
