THE COMPLEX REALITY OF VITILIGO
‘We all have our life’s troubles. Just because ours manifests outwardly doesn’t make us less human.’
LITTLE KIDS WOULD RUN AWAY FROM ME
People constantly asked questions I didn’t know how to answer, like “How did that happen?” or “What caused it?” Back then, I didn’t even know the word vitiligo myself. Sometimes, little kids would see me and run away crying as if they had seen a monster. I vividly remember walking past a house where a girl my age was sitting on the veranda. She ran inside screaming, “Mom, come out and see a native doctor!” That broke my heart, but I kept moving forward.
MIND YOUR BUSINESS. WE HAVE MIRRORS.
I’d wear cardigans and use scarves, hoping it would clear up, but it spread further. It spread all over my body, and I had to leave school because people were ignorant of my medical condition and thought it was contagious. I received many snide comments. One babe literally said to my face that she didn’t want to “catch” what was on my body, and that hurt. It hurt me like mad. It’s been more than seven years now, and I can still remember what she said. To prove it was not contagious, I had to leave school and then seek medical attention.
PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS CONTAGIOUS
I remember a particular incident during my JAMB lessons. I tried to talk to a girl to borrow her notes, but she refused, saying she couldn’t interact with me because of my skin. She even said she didn’t know if it was contagious. I just smiled and walked away. But when I got home, I cried. As in, I cried, premium tears o. After that moment, I made a decision: I would live my life for myself, not to please others.
THEY SAID IT’D BE HARD FOR ME TO GET A HUSBAND
Some looked at me with pity but kept silent, while others couldn’t, and their opinions were not solutions… Imagine a little girl as young as five, but all they talk about is how it would be challenging for me to find a husband. It terrified my mom so much that it became the first thing she usually asked God for while praying. I was so young when I realised that not getting married early or not having someone adore you was an abomination.
I WAS CALLED ALBINO, COKE AND FANTA
As I’ve grown older, the reactions have shifted. It’s less about direct insults now and more about subtle behaviours, like people staring for too long or expressing pity, sometimes saying “sorry” as if something is wrong with me. While it may not always be spoken outright, those moments can still feel uncomfortable.
As D-Day approached, the ecstasy grew stronger. It had been a while since I attended extended family events. So, I was particularly keen not to miss my cousin’s forthcoming wedding. Most people were still sleeping when we arrived at the agreed meeting point. I went to grandma’s room. I hadn’t seen her in over a decade. After we exchanged pleasantries, I returned to the compound, helping out the little way I could.
Hours later, my gaze fell on the door that led to the staircase. It was quite dark, but one could still make out the presence of a figure. As the figure stepped into the light, I could see her clearly, and, yes, I was right. It was my aunt, Ìyá Àjọ, the deacon. Of course, she was surprised to see me. You can’t blame her. She hardly saw my face, and so she didn’t know about my vitiligo.
To my bewilderment, the first thing she would say to me was, “Ṣé o jẹ èèwò ní? Èèwò òrìṣà ìdílé yín. Nkan t’oma fa kini ojú ẹ nìyẹn (Did you eat taboo? The taboo of your household’s deity. It’s what would be responsible for what’s on your face).”
The nonchalance. The insensitivity. The tactlessness.
I took a deep breath and sighed. Then brrrrrrr – did a lip buzz – and simply ignored her. She continued trying to prove her theory to those around, but I couldn’t care less. Today is for my cousin; I wasn’t going to let anything ruin it. Come to think of it, who would have thought a Deacon would subscribe to that theory?
I also remember another incident where this lady who had claimed to be a pastor and worked at the very clinic where I had been officially diagnosed told me it happened because I was a sinner.
I’m not alone on this table.
On a certain Friday evening, mid-May 2026, a member of our community asked for our opinion on advice he was given. He said, “I was advised to go for a native vitiligo treatment that has to do with the killing of chicken, etc., that the skin depigmentation on my face is a sign of poison that I consumed or that I mistakenly stepped on a charm that was aimed at another person. Is it true?”
This is the reality of many of us living with vitiligo. We are seen either as sinners, as someone facing the wrath of some nonexistent god, or as someone who has consumed a taboo. Even other autoimmune diseases are not spared from the aspersion of them being spiritual attacks.
— Ibrahim Moshood.
PEOPLE GAVE UNSOLICITED ADVICE
I wish people, including my parents, knew that vitiligo is a medical condition. It is not contagious or transmissible. You cannot contract it from someone. It is also not a spiritual problem. Nobody offended God. Nobody is being punished. Nobody’s village people are after them. Vitiligo can happen to anyone. Black people have it. White people have it. People from different countries and backgrounds have it.
MEDICATION WAS EXPENSIVE, HARD TO FIND
By May 2025, my skin had fully recovered. Although I still get anxious whenever I feel an itch on my forehead, this experience taught me patience, resilience, and empathy for others living with vitiligo. I know I was fortunate to catch it early and have access to a dermatologist. My journey may have ended with complete repigmentation, but it gave me a deeper understanding of the emotional impact vitiligo can have and a greater appreciation for everyone navigating their own journey with the condition.
“WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS ONE’S MOUTH?”
My vitiligo journey started in the last quarter of 2019, on my lower lip. I wasn’t so concerned because I thought I was going to have a pink lip (that was a big deal for me then). Remembering this now makes me laugh because I had no idea what was coming. I didn’t visit any doctor then, but the following year, a friend who knew a nurse confirmed it was vitiligo… I was scared and hopeless, but right now, I feel so much love for myself.
I WANTED THE GROUND TO SWALLOW ME
I still remember the day I first noticed it. I was 10 years old when the first small patch appeared on my lips, making people wonder if I was licking my lips. Then it started spreading to my jaw with a little dot. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but when the official diagnosis came, it felt like a heavy shift in my world. Looking back, that younger version of me felt a mix of confusion and fear, mostly about how the world would look at me.
I STARTED SAYING NO TO EVENTS
The first thing I changed was my habits. Lagos heat didn’t matter anymore — long sleeves and trousers became my uniform, even in March. I’d check my sleeves before leaving the house, tug them down if they rode up. I told myself it was for sun protection. The truth was I didn’t want people to see, and I couldn’t risk the sun either… I started planning my day around shade and saying no to anything that meant being out too long under the sun.
But what really is the truth?
Vitiligo is a non-contagious, progressive, chronic medical disorder where the immune system attacks the melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing the melanin pigment that gives our skin its colour, causing pale or white patches on the skin, hair, or mucous membranes.
– Non-contagious means it is not transmissible from person to person.
– Progressive means the disorder gradually spreads, worsens, and advances in severity over time, and so it requires continuous management – medical or lifestyle – to slow down or halt the advancement. Crazily, the rate, pattern, or extent of vitiligo’s progression is highly unpredictable.
– Chronic means something that lasts for a long time or keeps coming back. That is, once one develops the medical condition, its progression is unpredictable. For some people, it remains stable or inactive for long periods, while for others it progresses, especially as there’s no cure yet.
– The term medical disorder – which I believe is the more appropriate term to use than medical condition – means there’s an abnormal functional or structural condition of the body or mind. In our case, the abnormal function is being performed by our immune system.
Vitiligo is one of the rarest medical disorders, affecting less than 2% of the global population. I should also add that it can be a very troubling medical condition to live with. One that requires very careful sun protection and management to live a good, quality life.
The exact cause has not been fully understood or ascertained. However, it’s primarily classified as an autoimmune disorder, which means it is caused when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs within the body instead of defending against foreign invaders. For vitiligo, healthy melanocytes are being attacked.
Another crazy fact about vitiligo is that, more often than not, there is a high likelihood it co-occurs with other autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune thyroidism (the more likely) and type 1 diabetes mellitus.
I want you to know this. We are not a pity party or charity case. It’s okay if you want to keep your distance, but please keep your pity to yourselves. People living with vitiligo already have a whole lot to deal with, physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you can’t be our peace, let us be.
We all have our life’s troubles. Just because ours manifests outwardly doesn’t make us less human or inferior to you. Know that and shush your disgust. Ire o.
— Ibrahim Moshood.
EXPLAINING MYSELF OVER AND OVER GETS TIRING
Since 2011, I have seen dermatologists in multiple hospitals across Nigeria, the UK, and India. My late mother, my father, and my elder brother, who is a medical doctor, all walked that path with me. I’m grateful for their support, especially my mother, who is no longer here. Each hospital visit came with new creams, new theories, new hope… and sometimes new disappointment. Vitiligo does not have one cure, and learning that was its own kind of grief.
WE ARE NOT SINNERS. WE DIDN’T OFFEND GOD.
It was early 2025, around the end of February, that I started noticing hypopigmentation on my left leg, but I ignored it because it wasn’t much. Later on, I noticed it was spreading, and spots appeared on my thigh. I was told it was spiritual and tried treating it with different herbs, applying them to the patches and also drinking them, but it didn’t work. My mum and people around started noticing too and asking questions.
Debunking Common Vitiligo Myths
Hover or tap any card below to reveal the fact.
Vitiligo is just a cosmetic condition.
Vitiligo is actually a chronic, autoimmune condition. Beyond physical changes, it can significantly affect mental health, confidence, and overall quality of life.
Vitiligo only affects certain skin tones.
Vitiligo does not discriminate. It affects individuals of all skin tones, ethnicities, races, and backgrounds.
Vitiligo can be easily cured.
Currently, there is no medical cure for vitiligo. Researchers continue to work toward one, but a definitive cure does not yet exist.
There are no treatment options available.
Multiple treatment options exist, though effectiveness varies per person. Vitiligo may progress again if treatments are paused or stopped.
There is a quick fix for vitiligo.
Managing vitiligo is a journey. Effective care requires time, patience, consistency, and a strong support system.
A specific diet can cure vitiligo.
There is currently no scientific evidence supporting the claim that any specific diet can cure vitiligo.
People with vitiligo don’t need emotional support.
Because vitiligo takes an emotional and mental toll, access to psychosocial support and empathetic care is crucial.
Healthcare providers always have all the answers.
Vitiligo is complex. Some medical professionals may lack in-depth knowledge on the latest management strategies, leaving patients feeling unsupported.
Vitiligo is a punishment or result of wrongdoing.
Vitiligo is strictly a medical condition. Morality, sin, or spiritual wrongdoing have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Vitiligo is caused by breaking cultural taboos.
This is a harmful myth. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder driven by genetics and biological factors—not spiritual taboos.
Curation by: Ibrahim Moshood.
Edited and designed by: ‘Kunle Adebajo.
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