Out and About STYLE Magazine

A JOURNEY TO SELF-ACCEPTANCE DEALING WITH VITILIGO
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from?
What do you do for a living, and what are your
hobbies and interest?
My name is Prarthana and I’m from Bangalore, India.
I’m 21 years old and currently studying for a Medical
Electronics Engineering degree.
I love makeup and fashion and I model part-time.
2. What is Vitiligo and who gets it?
Vitiligo is the loss of the skin pigment ‘melanin’ over
certain parts of the skin, thus appearing as white
patches on the body. Anyone may get Vitiligo, but it’s
more obvious in melanated skin.
3. How long have you had Vitiligo and how has it
impacted your life?
I’ve had Vitiligo for about 11 years. At first, it was
extremely hard to deal with as I was only a teenager.
I used makeup to cover my flaws, but I was bullied
in school for wearing makeup. It wasn’t an easy
journey.
7. How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is definitely very basic. I like solid
colours and classy pieces. I love to wear fashion that’s
comfortable. I absolutely love jumpsuits. I think they
are flattering on everyone.
8. Have you always been interested in fashion and
makeup?
I was forced into makeup at the age of 11 when I got
Vitiligo. I wasn’t ready to show my Vitiligo just yet.
It took me 8 years to perfect my makeup skills and I
learnt to love it. Fashion has always been something
I’ve loved. I loved shopping as kid. Even then, I knew
what went well together.
9. If you had to choose 3 makeup items, what would
they be?
That’s easy!
• Eyebrow pencil
• Mascara
• Liquid lipstick.
4. Have you learnt to embrace it, and if so, how?
Yes, I have learnt to embrace it. Everyone takes their
own time to realise that our flaws set us apart from
the rest of the world.
5. Do people stare at you on the street? Do you feel
like you stand out in a good/ bad way?
People do stare but I don’t feel bad about it. They’re
curious and I totally get that. I do look different and I
do get stares because of it.
10. Does it take you longer to do your makeup because
you have Vitiligo?
I used to cover my Vitiligo with a heavy duty concealer,
which took about 30 minutes every day. But now that
I’m unafraid of my Vitiligo protruding through my
makeup, it barely takes me 10 mins.
11. Do brands embrace your skin condition?
Yes! I feel like the beauty industry is slowly shifting to
realistic beauty standards.
6. You are really confident. What advice would you
give to other people who have Vitiligo and are
afraid of what people might think of them?
I think people need to realise that our physical
appearances do not make us or break us. Be true
to yourself. Everyone has their own battles and will
never understand your pain.
Wear your flaws with honor. You are different and
that is your superpower.
12. Tips: When you have Vitiligo
• Always wear sunscreen! It’s super important to
protect the white patches as they’re very prone to
sunburns!
• Work on the things that interest you, those which
with you can escape the world.
• You have to remind yourself that you’re different.
There’s no one else like you and that is your
superpower!
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