Somewhere I can write something other than science and medical-related articles.
Skincare is one of the most trending topics on social media today. The rate is bleaching or “toning” (as some people like to call it) is on the high in our time today. I’ve always been a dark girl since I knew myself. I like the dark color to the extent that I’ll most likely get married to a dark-skinned man.
About 10 years ago, I noticed this mark on my face. I was never conscious of my face as a very little girl so it wasn’t a concern to me. But at 13 years, I became more concerned about my body so the mark became a concern to me.
Just as I was bothered, my mother was as well. Mummy was more bothered because according to her, she didn’t notice any scars on my face while growing up.
The first time I went to the hospital, the dermatologist confirmed it was an infection. He claimed that as a young girl in a boarding school, skin infections are very common. I was given a tablet and an anti-fungal cream to use alongside. I kept to the medication and it was all to no avail.
The second time with another dermatologist, he confirmed it was a skin reaction (More like an allergy) and again, the medication failed.
At one point, I forgot about it and just decided not to pay so much attention anymore. But When I got admitted into the university to study nursing, it became a burden to me. I’ve always thought of medical personnel to be healthy and all.
lol, healthy I mean free from even the so-called “infection” or mark on my face.
In my quest to find a solution, I found someone with a similar mark on her forehead. Hers was darker in color while mine was much lighter. I don’t know if the color difference was due to our skin color or not. From my conversation with her, she claimed it was present at birth though it wasn’t so visible and became more pronounced as she grew older. Also, she visited more dermatologists than I did. Seeing her made me believe there were more other people with the same condition or perhaps something similar but the fact that mine was on my face didn’t sit right with me.
For the 3rd time, I decided to visit a skincare enthusiast and dermatologist that was recommended to me. After a consulting session with her, I was given the diagnosis of vitiligo. The dermatologist tried to explain the skin condition even though it didn’t make any sense to me then not until I read about it.
Let us get a little bit formal.
What is Vitiligo?
It is an autoimmune disorder characterized by irregular, depigmented patches on the skin. It occurs due to the destruction of melanocytes (melanin-producing cells).
Melanin cells are responsible for dark skin coloration.
It can occur at any time but it is most noticeable in dark-skinned people and occurs mostly on the hand, knees, scalp hair, and eyelashes. It becomes noticeable in early childhood and before the age of 20.
Causes of Vitiligo.
There is no traceable cause of vitiligo. It is believed to be an autoimmune disorder whereby the body attacks melanin-producing cells.
Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks its healthy cells.
Even though a lot of researchers claimed that some factors can increase the risk of vitiligo. Such as; - Family history
- Sunburn
- Exposure to Chemicals
- Existing autoimmune disease like anaemia, thyroid disease, psoriasis and lupus.
There are 2 types of Vitiligo.
Nonsegmental Vitiligo
Here, the white patch appear on both sides of the body. It is symmetrical.
Segmental Vitiligo
In this type, the patches appear on one side of the body. This is the most common type of vitiligo.
People living with this skin condition suffer from psychological problems like self esteem, depression, antisocial disorder.
As much I wanted to know what is on my face, I wanted to treat it as soon as possible.
Sadly, vitiligo has no cure. Here are some tips I use to manage the scar on my face.
An active skincare routine.
I realized that if I could maintain a healthy skin then living with this scar on my face will be much bearable. I have a full skincare routine with active ingredients such as niacinamide, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. These ingredients have helped improve my skin tone, pores and cell production. I’ll share my skin care routine, watch out for it.
Use of Sunscreen
The use of a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 ad above can protect the skin from sunburn. Some researchers claimed that sunburn can increase the spread of vitiligo. Personally, I use sunscreen to enable my skin care products work effectively even while under the sun.
Other medical means to manage vitiligo include;
Phototherapy
This is the exposure of the skin to light rays. It is believed that UV rays increases melanin production so the exposure of the skin part to light rays can help restore skin coloration.
Skin Grafting
It is a surgical procedure. It involves transplanting a skin from one body part to another.
I’ve actually not considered these medical procedures in treating the scar on my face because I know that as much as UV rays can increases melanin production, it can predispose to cancer. Also, skin grafting is a painful procedure and I’m really not sure of the outcome.
If you noticed, I used mark and scar interchangeable. lol. I really don't know which it is. As such, I'll appreciate tips, knowledge or any information as regards this skin condition.
Well, the scar on my face still sits pretty. Even though it was a burden to me before, but now; I’ve learned to live with it, maintain a healthy skin and just love my skin the way it is.
PS: All pictures used in this article were taken using my iPhone XR.
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