The Issue: Psychological Damage from Skin Disorder

Vitiligo is a noncontagious pigmentation disorder that destroys melanocytes in the skin, resulting in white patches across the body and scalp. Vitiligo affects approximately 1–2 million people in the United States, half of whom develop the condition before the age of 20, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Vitiligo is a skin disorder where your skin turns white. Though the patches of white skin do not cause physical pain, their appearance can lead to psychological effects including embarrassment, anxiety, and depression. To some, the skin patches may look like a burn and to others, it may look like a contagious disease. For those with Vitiligo, the skin disorder makes us feel alienated and discriminated against by many who do not understand what we have.

For us Vitiligians, while we wait for efforts to be made in finding a cure for this cause, or just de-pigmentation options, we wish for awareness so we can go on to live our lives equally without feeling less than perfect, often forcing us to live alternative lifestyles or to live our lives indoors.

Here is the link below for the first official HRES Bill for a National Vitiligo Awareness Day:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/757/text