While in college I noticed a patch of my skin had lost pigment completely. But it wasn’t until I a few months into my first job after college the a second patch of skin also started to loose pigment. This is when I realized that I might have a skin disorder.
As the skin on my hands and feet continued to loose skin pigment, I got diagnosed by a dermatologist with Vitiligo. I learned that vitiligo is likely an auto-immune disease that attacks the bodies ability to create pigment. Having vitiligo was difficult those first few years as I learned to deal with the unknown and unpredictable progression of a disease that changed my appearance. Thankfully through the support of a solid circle of friends I worked through my fears and insecurities and stopped worrying about the impact of vitiligo on my life.
Looking back, I can see several steps that I took me from worrying, to living. One of the most helpful steps I took was creating a blog to talk about my struggles: www.ihavevitiligo.com. Through this blog, I was able to express my frustrations and fears, connect with others and work through the emotional baggage I carried.
Now the website exists to assist others through their own journey of working through the emotions associated with vitiligo, by connecting with others and reading about my journey.