“I hate my life with vitiligo yet really I feel so selfish that there is much worse suffering in the world than a few white patches.”
Other advice was very practical:
“I hope it isn’t vanity that is tearing you apart because that is only skin deep. Make a fashion statement with hats.”
Some users acknowledged and adopted the mantra that vitiligo is not a somatic condition or “physical ailment,” while others emphasized its pervasive psychological burden:
“I still deal with this psychologically . . . You must keep a positive attitude and frame of mind . . . Vitiligo will not kill you, but you do need to stay strong and keep your head up emotionally.”
“I am just really thankful that I have a disease that will not kill me or that has [not] affected me physically at all. I consider myself lucky.”
Disease Management: Treatment, Vitiligo Course, Advice-Seeking, Camouflage—The range of information discussed for treatment was highly variable. There were many accounts in which users advised others to seek professional help, namely that of a dermatologist, for a formal assessment. Many expressed frustrations with treatments and their ineffectiveness, to which the majority of users said to consult with a professional and to remain patient and hopeful/optimistic:
“The best thing to do would be to take an appointment with a dermatologist and have the discoloration checked out. That’s the only way to know whether it is vitiligo or not.”
“My way of dealing with it is to gain control by camouflage.”
“The calming effect of being in control of my vitiligo, whether with concealers, self-tan or anything else, has stopped my feelings of despair.”