vitiligo

vitiligo is a skin condition with variegated tonalities, believe it or not, vitiligo is not as complex as it is perceived.

scientifically, there is no true understanding in why someone develops vitiligo, however this skin condition appears as a body’s response to stress or trauma. the cells that produce pigment in the skin are called melanocytes, and they attack the healthy cells that produce color, because they are confused for outside/foreign cells. the war results from this attack translates on the skin’s appearance, displaying a variety of color that appears on a particular area of the body. vitiligo develops in a variety of ways; with some vitiligans, vitiligo may be a hereditary trait, some people may experience a physical or emotional trauma and the skin depigments as a response or some individuals may progressively express stress through their skin… there is no difference in the surface texture of depigmented skin, nor is vitiligo contagious or infectious. skin may be more prone to sunburning, but our skin is less likely to develop melanoma because our cells are attacking as a defense system.

a few types of vitiligo that people may develop :
acro-facial vitiligo generally depigments from the extremities including finger tips, toes, lips.
people who have segmental vitiligo feature depigmentation in a general region of the body. often times, their vitiligo remains the same, but may shift in their life.

a vitiligan with asymmetrical vitiligo may display depigmentation on one side of the body.
people who manifest symmetrical features of vitiligo have a mirrored depigmentation that is equal to or slightly similar to the other half of the body from a sagittal perspective.

universal is a style of vitiligo that gradually or quickly depigments until there isn’t any pigment left. there may be spots that develop with the original color, often from exposure. popcorn vitiligo may occur from excessive sun exposure, resulting in repigmentation in deep rooted hair follicles.

essentially, we are all different, all beautiful and very unique. skin is going to change back and forth throughout life without any control. we are living artworks. born to stand out, embrace it.