What was once a stigmatized condition is now something celebrities — from Winnie Harlow to Jon Hamm — are speaking out about to help raise awareness and reduce stigma around this skin condition.
“Celebrity testimonials highlighting the noncommunicable nature of vitiligo and the psychosocial impact it has on the individual will greatly help in fighting against the possible stigmas that vitiligo is associated with,” says Sanober Pezad, MD, a board-certified dermatologist specializing in integrative and holistic dermatology in Dallas.
How Are People Impacted by Vitiligo?
Vitiligo may appear at any age, but the average onset of symptoms is during your mid-twenties, and pigment loss generally progresses with time.
“Vitiligo can make you feel helpless, which is one of its most unsettling aspects,” says Alpana Mohta, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Jaipur, India, and medical adviser for BetterGoods.org. “The first thing you can do is regain control of your knowledge. The more you study about vitiligo, the more equipped you will feel to deal with it.”
Yet the impact of vitiligo may extend beyond physical symptoms. People experiencing vitiligo may also develop low self-esteem that can impact their quality of life. “This condition does not differentiate between creed, boundaries, or ethnicity, and given the inherent visibility of this skin disorder, self-esteem is often compromised,” says Dr. Pezad.
Read on to learn about eight celebrities living with vitiligo and their experiences and advocacy around this skin condition.
Read the full article here
