Meet Vishal

My vitiligo first appeared as growing patches of white on my forearms, accompanied by a constant itchiness. It soon spread all over my body. 5 years in, apart from a few patches of original pigment on my face, torso, chest and thighs, I was pretty much…completely white!

It was, quite obviously, a disconcerting experience. Apart from the physical changes, it was the worry of my family who tried to get me treated by clueless doctors, and a sense within me that I was being changed for good.

However, the more I become comfortable with this, the more I realise that vitiligo has been a godsend for me. I’ve always been a bit of a loner and an outsider, someone unique, a rebel even, in a world full of people desperate to conform. Vitiligo helped to put the final seal on this. I could now walk my own path, and the only people who would join me now were those that wanted to truly be there with me.

Surely I’ve had a few negative reactions; but equally, if not more, I’ve encountered people that find beauty in my differences. These are the people I’ve wanted all along.

To those struggling with their vitiligo, I would say - those who make you feel bad about it are only projecting their lack of self-esteem, depth, humanity and compassion onto you.

Keep your head up, keep walking, and you’ll find the light waiting for you.

Vitiligo has helped me want to love life even more. As someone once wrote:

“I’m far from being a pessimist. On the contrary, despite all of my scars, I’m tickled to death at life”.