Column of 20-year-old Milena, who takes pride in her looks.
King of Pop Michael Jackson, TV personality Lee Thomas, fighter Scott Jorgensen, model Winnie Harlow. What unites these and thousands more people around the world? Spots. Yes, yes, there are spots of different shapes and sizes on their faces and bodies, and this violation of skin pigmentation is called vitiligo. For some, the disease became a real test, and for someone it helped to become famous – for example, Winnie Harlow.
The heroine of Wday.ru Milena Tokmasheva from Abakan is also covered with many bright spots, but she is not ashamed of them, but, on the contrary, is proud of her peculiarity. We are publishing her monologue about life with an incurable skin disease – vitiligo.
Vitiligo manifested itself in Milena as a child
Help Wday.ru: vitiligo is a disorder that is expressed in the disappearance of the melanin pigment in certain areas of the skin. It occurs presumably as a result of the action of medicinal and chemical substances, neuroendocrine and autoimmune factors, as well as after inflammatory processes on the skin.
Milena’s body is covered with light spots of various shapes and sizes.
Vitiligo can begin at any age with the appearance of white spots of various sizes and shapes on the skin. They gradually increase in size, merge, forming extensive areas of a white-milky color. Hair on the affected area is often discolored as well.
Patients with vitiligo do not have subjective sensations, and it worries only as a cosmetic defect. No treatment methods have been found yet.
The girl is not shy about her peculiarity. On the contrary, he tries to demonstrate it to everyone
I am 20. Vitiligo started about 15 years ago, when I was in the village with my grandmother. I came home and my mother saw white spots on my eyelids. I thought it was me that made up.
When the “shadows” did not disappear, she started sounding the alarm and went with me to the hospital. But the doctor then did not say anything worthwhile, he simply made an appointment in six months and offered to observe. In six months, the spots have grown all over the body. Then it became obvious to the doctor that it was vitiligo. He diagnosed it and simply said that it was incurable for now.
I was too young to understand everything. And for a five-year-old child, such a feature seemed quite normal. I never felt that something was wrong with me, thanks to my parents for not panicking. At a more conscious age, there was an understanding that I was not like everyone else, but this did not interfere in any way.
On the contrary, my friends joked that you can find me everywhere.
Therefore, I never wanted to be treated and somehow get rid of the spots.
I do not feel any discomfort, on the contrary, I get great pleasure. The only thing: you can’t stay in the sun for a long time, and I really like to swim and sunbathe. So I just put on a lot of protective cream and enjoy it.
Milena should not be in the sun for a long time, on the beach she applies a thick layer of protective cream to her skin
Of course, those who meet me for the first time are surprised: for them vitiligo is something unusual. One day an unfamiliar woman came up and began to say that I urgently needed to be treated, because it affects the whole body and I will not live long. I felt uncomfortable, even let out a tear. But nothing, wiped it off and went on. Now I treat such advisers with understanding. I like to watch any reaction.
You know, in spite of all people who think that vitiligo needs to be shy, I love attention, I do my best to show my skin.
For a person passing by to fix his gaze on me. And some come very close, consider. I often hear that they would also like such a feature or tattoos similar to vitiligo. In winter, when I am in outerwear, it is more difficult to stand out, and if I see someone’s eyes, I try to turn off the sleeves of my jacket so that the person can see me better.
Men, I think, really like my feature. Even more than women. It’s a mystery to them. They want to get to know me, see me in full, see more spots. An acquaintance, who also has vitiligo, once made an offer. I refused, but he still calls me to get married.
I really love my spots, I am glad that nature has awarded me with them. Since childhood, I wanted to become the first model with vitiligo, and then I saw Winnie Harlow and, frankly, I was upset. But thanks to her, many became interested in this disease. In addition, she proved that any appearance can overnight the standards of beauty, the main thing is to present it correctly.
In the photo on the left – Milena, on the right – model Winnie Harlow
I recently revived my dream of becoming a model, I think there are all the prerequisites for this. In the meantime, I am a third-year student of the Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Management of the Khakass State University named after V.I. N.F. Katanova has just begun to develop her own store, which she named the same as my feature – vitiligo. There I photograph things and jewelry against a “cow”, spotted background.
People with the same peculiarity often write to me, they cannot accept themselves. They are looking for help. Even mothers of children with vitiligo ask what to do. I give an example of my parents who did not hide me, did not limit me, but did everything possible to make me feel like everyone else.
According to the cosmetologist Elena Sekirina, vitiligo is very difficult to treat. It is not contagious, is not infectious, does not pose any danger to life and health, the problems are only of an aesthetic nature.
Cosmetologist-trichologist, founder of the multidisciplinary medical center Sekirina Clinic
– The causes of vitiligo are unknown to medicine for certain. There is an understanding of what factors influence. This is an autoimmune lesion, that is, the destruction of melanin by its own protective cells; genetic characteristics, heredity; exposure to triggers such as sunburn, stress, exposure to industrial chemicals. ⠀
There are currently no 100% effective treatments.
Treatment will help stop the process of lightening the tissues, even out the skin tone, but there is always a risk of relapse. The easiest way to achieve results is in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, if you notice symptoms in yourself, immediately contact a dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment.
In an integrated approach, doctors use hormonal agents, creams with glucocorticoids, ointments with pimecrolimus, phototherapy, PUVA therapy, which allows to achieve good results. There is a cardinal method – skin grafting. I do not think it is justified in this case, because instead of aesthetic defects, you can get the risk of serious complications.
Do you want to become the heroine of the material Wday.ru or write a column for us? Ready to share your unique story, event, experience? Write to mail nnizamova@hspub.ru.
Nadezhda Nizamova, Vlad Timofeeva