Her parents named her Chantelle Whitney Brown-Young, but you may know her as Winnie Harlow. Though Winnie had a good following on Instagram prior to being discovered by Tyra Banks, she gained popularity as a contestant on the television show, ‘America’s Next Top Model’. After her appearance on the show, she went on to model for different brands. Instead of being a deterrent, her skin condition has become one of her defining physical characteristics.
Winnie is one of the people who was diagnosed with vitiligo at a very early age. In fact, she recounts being diagnosed at four and being bullied relentlessly at school. Since then, she has become a spokesperson for the disorder and stated recently in an interview that “I believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” when asked about modeling with vitiligo.
What Is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the melanocytes in your skin. Since these melanocytes are responsible for making pigment, this results in milky white patches in the skin.
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Typically, these patches appear symmetrically on the body, which means you would have them on both hands or legs. However, there is a rarer form of this condition where people can develop patches in one area.
While anyone can develop vitiligo, it’s more apparent in those who have darker skin. You’re also more likely to have this condition if you’re dealing with psoriasis, pernicious anemia, type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus, and Addison’s disease, among others.
If you have vitiligo, it’s likely that you’ll notice the skin lightening on your hands, forearms, feet, and face first. However, it can also start in less obvious parts of the body such as the inside of your mouth, nose, or rectal areas.
It’s important to note that the symptoms of vitiligo usually start to appear before the age of 20 but can happen at any time.
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How The Condition Is Diagnosed
Diagnosing vitiligo begins with a thorough examination and collecting your medical history. Your doctor may use a special lamp known as a Wood’s lamp, which utilizes UV light. If you have vitiligo, the UV light will cause the affected skin to appear bright and chalky.
Your doctor may also request blood tests and a skin biopsy to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms to vitiligo. These conditions include chemical leukoderma, albinism, tinea versicolor, and pityriasis alba.
If you’ve been diagnosed with vitiligo, your doctor may assess you further to determine what type you’re dealing with. This information will be pertinent to how your condition can be managed. The classification is typically based on how your skin is affected. For example, general vitiligo causes patches on several parts of the body while segmental only affects one side or area of the body.
How Vitiligo Is Treated
There is no cure for vitiligo, but there are options for slowing the spread of the symptoms. Sometimes, doctors don’t recommend any medical treatment for people who have a mild form of this condition.
Those who have moderate vitiligo may be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs as well as drugs that suppress the immune system. Depending on how your vitiligo has progressed, you can also undergo light therapy, which uses UVB light to return pigmentation to your skin.
Depigmentation is only used for those who have widespread vitiligo as this treatment removes pigments from the unaffected areas of the skin. This type of treatment is done for at least nine months and is permanent. If you opt for this route, you can expect redness and swelling as well as a more stringent skincare regimen to protect your skin.
The last option is a surgery where a doctor will use grafting or transplant techniques to place unaffected skin in areas that have patches from vitiligo.
Vitiligo can affect anyone but is most likely to develop in those who have certain conditions and are under the age of 20. If you suspect that you have symptoms of vitiligo, it’s important to see your doctor quickly. While it can’t be cured, an early diagnosis can help slow the progression of your symptoms.
