“Caveat Emptor“ Anonymous
We all want a cure for vitiligo to be discovered. At the very least, finding a treatment that re-pigments our skin, or stops the vitiligo from spreading, would bring much peace of mind. However, I want to remind you that not all businesses are out there to sell you a product that truly works…many don’t care how you feel if you take their pills as instructed on the bottle, and nothing happens. They don’t think twice about advertising their ‘miracle’ oil that was concocted from a bit of research done on the internet. It’s business. And just as you wouldn’t dream of buying a car that you’ve never seen or inspected, be smart about the products you choose online. Of course, not every company is out to take your money and run…many simply want to help you and truly believe in their products. Keep in mind, what works for one person with vitiligo may not work for another.
Here are a few tips to maximize your chances of buying from a reputable company online:
1. The site provides a contact phone number. If you have questions, you want answers. And sometimes talking to a person is much more informative than reading through FAQ’s. Plus, a phone number gives you the confidence that if there is an issue, it can be resolved with a phone call.
2. Before and After Photos. Don’t just take the word of eloquently written sales copy. I can’t think of one good reason why a company who says their product helps repigment the skin can’t show you the proof. I know first hand that it’s an easy process to put before and after pictures on a shopping site; I did it for the Vitiligo Cover Lotion. Sure photos can be manipulated, but I bet you’d have more of a chance to come across sites that don’t even bother putting, than you would of one that fakes the pic.
3. What country produces the product. The FDA in the USA doesn’t exactly have my full confidence. Some countries have stricter (and unbiased to the pharmaceutical companies) regulations, but many other countries are much more laxed which aren’t even enforced. For your own safety, Just check it out before you buy.
4. Look for, and scrutinize, customer comments. Understandably, most companies won’t post negative comments, but any comments at all is a good sign. I suggest to scrutinize them, though, because I once re-edited the copy for a site that sold many healing products, one being vitiligo, and the customer comments section was laughable. The site was from a country outside the US. and the customer comments, which were supposedly from people living in America, were written in broken English and possessed the quality you’d get from using a translating site on the internet. Completely bogus. Again, I say, show me the proof; don’t just tell me.