Living with Vitiligo | Megan Relin | TEDxDeerfield

I have Vitiligo. This means my immune system attacks the cells responsible for producing skin pigment. I have both pigmented and un-pigmented skin all over my body and this gives me a unique, spotty appearance. I would like to speak to this issue as it affects the Vitiligo community - many people with this condition experience significant stigma, psychological stress and social rejection. It feels important to both increase others‚ awareness and understanding of this condition while challenging all of us to consider how we relate to our own, and others, visible and invisible differences with empathy, care and compassionate curiosity.

[xingfeng]

I have it since high school.

My ex left me because of it. After that, I thought I was not worth love. Years after, I met and married a nice and beautiful girl.

What I want to say is, let those people who can't accept vitiligo leave. The one who loves the true you will stay and stay forever.

[Horsekatz]

Usually when I see videos about vitiligo it has more people of color so as someone who is white with vitiligo it's nice to see someone similar.

[saturchino]

I was diagnosed today. This video lifted my spirits

[Tamochi]

I stumbled across this...

Oh good grief I'm crying. All bodies are good bodies. I've never felt that mine is good but hearing you say that out loud just hit me.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease at 19, Vitiligo at 27 and shortly after that, Alopecia Areata. They all kinda devastated me in their own way but I've fought so hard to not allow it to impact my life. I think you've honestly made me realise I should have had therapy. I walked away from the Doctor feeling like I'd been kicked in the stomach. No help, no advice, just a diagnosis.

I don't think you'll ever read this but thank you. I really needed to hear this

[thestarshavefallen]

Thank you. I watched white tiger on Netflix and the main protagonist made a comment about how disgusted he was by a character with vitiligo and it really messed me up a bit so this talk is what I needed to push past that trauma. Thank you.

[noelledance]

Thank you. Needed this more than you could ever know!

[yunkyeonglee]

I had it since I was 10 years old.
I came from Korea, people more cares about outlook than personality and ability.
when I was in high school, my vitiligo got worse, I thought about kill my self...
a lot of people stared at me, sometimes just random people came and asked me what happened to my skins.
most painful part is because of my skin condition, they think I am a failure, I am not gonna find a man who loves me..but you know what I do what I love for life and I found a man in my life <3

[wildflower]

This was awesome. Thank you. I was just diagnosed after being misdiagnosed for over 2 months. I’m adjusting and learning.

[Jsgsnk]

Thanks for your speech, i'm should thankful with my vitiligo ♥️

[clarabarreiros]

THANK YOU!! You just reminded me how powerful and loving my skin is. 💛

[pranavthakur]

It's really good to see people from all around the world gathered here to show their experience with vitiligo I know people can be cruel sometimes but who cares about them they are jealous of us because we are rare we are from the only 1 percent of people from the whole world and it was really amazing to see all of you guys here sharing emotions ❤️ with each other and spreading love all over the world and now I am not ashamed of my disease I have accepted it💖
Love you all ❣️

[Zonegarden]

Our story is opposite. I am brown, I got vitiligo at 12. My family was poor growing up. The perfect amount of poor, we didn’t have enough money for insurance, but made slightly to much for Medicaid (free state insurance). I hope you don’t beat yourself up to much for being white/older when you got vitiligo. Never be guilty for the hand your dealt. Your speech was beautiful

[timjeffs]

Just diagnosed about 6 months ago and it's rapidly progressing. Your video was a wonderful inspiration. I will wear my spots proudly as a very special 1%er!

[jadestone]

I wouldn’t have picked vitiligo as my superpower but I love the talk. It had some great points and how everybody's experiences are different but similar in ways. Thank you ☺️

[camman]

Lil kid came up and asked why I got mayo on my elbows so I told him I got sun burned and to go put sunscreen on lmao

[kovalveli]

great talk, my spots are always getting bigger and spreading around my body during summer, but since im quiet pale is not as bad, also listening to someone who knows exactly how it feels, helps alot

[newlife-newlook]

Thanks for your beautiful thoughts you share.I will also accept my vitiligo

[sebastiangouine]

I developed vitiligo at 15. I had nice golden skin and now I have pale skin and patches of discoloration on my eye lids, hands, and random parts of my body. I live with it and it’s just a part of who I am.

[sChick-vyvi]

I'm not really sure why but this video kind of made me mad. I had vitiligo as a child and grew up with it. I eventually turned completely white (which, I was offered the opportunity to do by a dermatologist years prior).
Never mentioned was the danger that the sun causes to skin that has no melanin, never mentioned was the years of growing up with it, never mentioned was the real mental impact it has on a person over the decades. Never mentioned was the extreme need for a high percentage of sunscreen in ALL types of weather year round. As I sit here letting my self tanner dry and looking at myself several shades darker and feeling like I look ridiculous, I think that this speaker has little idea how much of an impact vitiligo has on someone's life, she has started her journey later in life, she escaped many monumental moments in her life when it could of really caused mental scars.
I do however, wish her well and, if she has one more baby, she may turn completely white too, that's whar happened to me and believe it or not, I was happy.

[thewillsfamilyaccount]

A brilliant explaination.. thank you..