Meet Reshma

At that time I didn’t quite understand what was happening to me and my body. Being the first in my family to have vitiligo, my family was often searching for a cure when all I needed and craved was acceptance from them. It was quite isolating really.

One of the biggest challenges was dealing with societal beauty standards; especially being South Asian, where fairness is often idealized and having any kind of “blemish” was looked down upon. I felt pressure to “fix” myself.

My worth was becoming tied to how I look, and it was a hard time in my life. But over time, through climbing, connecting with others, and sharing my story through social platforms and now my small business @spotted_chai , I learned to find power in my difference.

People often assume vitiligo is contagious or caused by something “wrong” you did.

I grew up hearing it was caused because “I ate fish then drank milk”. For most of my life this myth has plagued me in every social family event. Even now.

My definition of beauty has completely evolved. Because I’ve had vitiligo for almost my entire life, it has taught me that there is no “one look” to beauty. Everyone is unique.

I’ve learned to embrace my skin now, but not all days look like that though, some days are challenging, and I’ve learned that, that too is okay.

Some memorable moments were being part of Dove’s real body campaign and speaking with WebMD about vitiligo and mental health.

They were huge milestones for me. Becoming a mother was another. Having my son and realizing that everything I’ve learned about kindness and acceptance is something I now get to teach him. I want him to grow up knowing how to treat people with compassion, no matter how different they may seem on the outside.

A piece of advice I’d love to share is, Be gentle with yourself. It’s okay to grieve and to grow at your own pace. There is no timeline for acceptance 🤍