How to help a friend with vitiligo

Dec

01

2011

By Mitchell

I once met someone who would not answer at all when asked about his vitiligo spots. I think he never had the time to absorb the changes he was going through and therefore was totally blocking this subject.

A person diagnosed with vitiligo might experience anything from loss of self confidence to deep depression. The fear of patches expanding quickly over visible areas can have a high impact around the age when one is most conscious about his appearance.

Friends and family can help a person diagnosed with vitiligo in emotionally dealing with the disease. Below are some ideas that may help:

Let them know that you are there for them, as you are now
Let them know that vitiligo will not stand in the way of their dreams because many persons with vitiligo live their dreams
Let them know that they could have gotten news of something far worse
Let them know that what they fill their life with is far more important then an outside shell
Be proactive and encourage them to get treatment and regain control of the disease: UV treatments and ointments are very efficient in re-pigmenting some areas
The change in their well-being may cause them to retract from social activities or become less active. Help them not to drop out of things they used to like (eg. swimming, pubic events) just because of being worried of how others may react to the spots.
Encourage them to talk to others who have vitiligo. A good place to start are vitiligo support groups or online forums

About

Hi, my name is Mitchell and I've had vitiligo for the most part of my life. I'm on constant lookout for new treatments so I've decided to start this website in order to share my most interesting findings. Generally, VitiligoZone contains articles about promising research but sometimes I'll approach psychological aspects, share personal experiences or interview people who have vitiligo. Information on this website is not meant to replace the advice of a health professional.