There are so many vitiligo success stories and I am one of them. I am proud to say that vitiligo no longer holds sway over my life and choices. And I believe this is possible for everyone that has vitiligo.

My vitiligo success story is perhaps a bit different than you might expect. I have had vitiligo for just over ten years now. It has slowly grown to more and more areas of my body. My face, my hands, my legs, my feet and my chest.

There was a time when I would not ever where sandals. Only shoes that covered my feet. There was a time when I never wore shorts. Until last year, I had not been swimming. For almost 6 years I never went to a pool party or went swimming in the ocean.

For me, going outside was difficult. Facing the world with two skin colors was something I was afraid to do.

What changed? What led to my success with vitiligo? It was one day at a time, deciding that being afraid of the world, afraid of judgement, afraid of rejection was a waste of my time and other peoples time too.

I started to face my fears. Socially, emotionally, physically, spiritually. One fear after another was faced. One awkward moment after another. And there were many. Still more to come I am sure. And I am happy to be able to say that vitiligo is something I rarely think about as something I am afraid of.

I am not afraid of more depigmentation. Its happening. I am losing pigment here and there.

But I am not scared of it to the point where it disables me. In fact it enables me! Vitiligo enables me to see the fiction of cosmetics. The fictions of our socially constructed notions of beauty and attractiveness. I am able to see more clearly myself and other people. I can see people more clearly as themselves.

It’s a thrill to know that sunshine and peoples gazes are sources of encouragement for me. That is my vitiligo success story.

What’s your vitiligo success story? If you have vitiligo you have one. And you will have many vitiligo success stories. I can’t wait to hear them.