Patient story ( dealing with vitiligo stigma) What is your a | Health & Safety TIPS 💎

Patient story ( dealing with vitiligo stigma)

What is your advice to this teen ?

I was about 6 years old when I found out I had vitiligo. At first, I didn’t know what it was but I quickly learned. When I was growing up, I didn’t care what I looked like.

Then, I switched schools and I didn’t know what kids at school would say or think of me. However, they quickly learned and they accepted me for me. They don’t care what I look like, which makes me feel happy.

When I’m not at school, I will have my moments when I start to cry and tell myself horrible things like “I’m ugly,” “what did I do to deserve this,” and “I’m a horrible person.” I know my family loves me for me, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like enough.

Now that I’m entering my teen years, I’ve started to care more about my self-appearance and self-esteem. I don’t feel pretty with my spots. Sometimes I wish I could go back to my younger self who didn’t care. I look at pictures of myself without spots and say to myself, “Wow, I didn’t remember what certain parts of my body looked like and now they look very different.”

I know my teen years will be very different and I will need to turn to my family and friends for support.