With the help of Winnie Harlow, Canadian vitiligo model, the beauty of vitiligo is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Why is this important? Looking towards other people for how they deal with their own insecurities and triumphs in their life, helps us navigate our own. As well as, brings awareness and expands the knowledge of individuals to what vitiligo is. beautiful vitiligo model
In today’s world most individuals, myself included, tend to look at what society tells us is beautiful. Whether that comes in the form of a magazine spread, TV show, or social media. People are always striving to find faces in these outlets that look like us for gratification or peace of mind that how we appear to the outside world is “good enough”.
Seeing Harlow, who not only land the coveted spot on America’s Next Top Model but also landing major designer campaigns such as Diesel is inspiring. For once, when an individual with vitiligo turns on the TV or opens a magazine, a person similar to them is staring back. Not only is this vitiligo model have the same skin condition but is proudly showing it off. Having someone like themselves in the world is important, it allows the minority of individuals with Vitiligo to not feel alone.
Vitiligo models are benefiting the vitiligo community. This is happening by allowing individuals with this skin condition to feel more comfortable in their skin but another benefit they are producing is exposing vitiligo to the masses. It’s a common occurrence for anyone with vitiligo to feel like they are constantly explaining what those white patches are. Sometimes it’s even the constant staring because most people have no idea what vitiligo is.
With bringing vitiligo into the mainstream media, the loss of skin pigment and what that may look like will be common knowledge. Just like Eczema and Psoriasis are a mainstream skin condition that has been “normalized”. With the help of beautiful vitiligo models like Winnie Harlow, vitiligo will soon be a skin condition that is publicly known and talked about. Hopefully, in a few years, the questions will twiddle down and the inquisitive looks will stop.
Making vitiligo more common is not just the job for models and social media influencers. What it comes down to is the everyday person with vitiligo being open to explaining what vitiligo is. Talking about your insecurities can be uncomfortable but finding a way to put them aside and educating people with your story. By doing this together with the vitiligo community as a whole, can spread the awareness of vitiligo.