Objectification is so deep-rooted that most don’t realise they are doing it. It is appalling to see how, even in 2021, people can be so ignorant and insensitive. One girl said her in-laws criticised her for not having “normal” skin. One of them said their parents isolated them, assuming the condition is contagious. Some shared their inhibitions, and some thanked her for making them feel like they were not alone.
#Vitiligo success story series#
This resulted in a series of messages wherein people came forward to express similar journeys. Showing her true self in images, she used the social media platform to spread awareness about the condition. She then moved to Instagram to interact with her followers directly. She uploaded her first YouTube video and soon after, launched her channel to start a dialogue on vitiligo. ‘This is who I am’Ī few months after the surgery, Prarthana rediscovered her confidence. It was time I focussed on my health and skin,” recalls Prarthana.
I felt liberated for the first time in a very long time, and decided to stop worrying about what people thought altogether. It was probably the first time that she didn’t put on makeup in front of strangers. Due to a complication, her stay in the hospital was extended. Regardless, Prarthana continued with the procedure.įor the next eight years, things remained the same, until an incident occurred during surgery in 2016. In one of the sessions, a nurse made the treatment process more aggressive, which ended up burning her face.
#Vitiligo success story skin#
My parents’ attitude is what got me through tough times,” she says.Īlongside, Prarthana was seeking medical help in the form of laser therapy, which can burn one’s skin and leave red spots. My dad called me beautiful and tried to make me comfortable in my skin. “My mother didn’t know much about make-up, but would still come up with suggestions and experiments. Meanwhile, her parents did everything they could to support her unconditionally. The age-old obsession with one’s skin colour and appearance can break any individual’s self-esteem, and Prarthana faced the brunt of this for the major part of her teen years.Īll the hate and insensitive remarks further fuelled the insecurity in her, and made her feel isolated. Vitiligo, or Leucoderma, affects close to 2-5% of the population in India, and the social stigma surrounding the disease, as well as unrealistic beauty standards, can leave social and psychological scars. Anyone, irrespective of skin type or age, can develop white (or depigmented) patches on any part of their body, including the hair, eyes, and mouth.
While the exact cause of the disease is unknown, it occurs when there are fewer working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in one’s skin. Prarthana developed vitiligo, and autoimmune disease, when she was 11. Regardless, the shallow comment reminded her of school days, when bullies called her “orange face”, and threw water to check if her makeup would wear off. The 22-year-old calmly and gracefully educated the commenter, and moved on – this wasn’t the first time she’d heard this kind of unsolicited advice, and wouldn’t be the last. I n a recent Instagram live session, Bengaluru-based Prarthana Jagan was told to opt for a “treatment” to “cure” her vitiligo.
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