Be Heard, Find Support | This Is Vitiligo

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Do you or your loved one experience a range of emotions about vitiligo? You’re not alone. Vitiligo can make you feel many different ways at any given point and it’s important to share your point of view about it.
Expressing your feelings and emotions can make a real difference for you, your friends and family, and other people living with vitiligo. It’s also a great way to make sure you get the support you deserve from your healthcare provider.

Let’s start the conversation

Sharing your honest perspective about vitiligo can be uncomfortable at first. But expressing even just one emotion may help others understand what you’re going through. It’s important to talk openly and honestly with the people in your life—from your friends and family to your healthcare provider—so they may offer you the support you deserve.

- WALKENIA & JOSHUA

Embrace your family and friends

Real talk—it can be hard to express how you’re feeling to your family and friends. Whether you naturally tend to keep your feelings in, or simply don’t want your loved ones to worry, being hesitant is normal. Just try to remember that they are the heart and soul of your support system and it could mean a lot for them to know how you’re feeling. Talking to your loved ones about your condition and explaining your Points of Vitiligo could help them provide the support you deserve.

Does a loved one have vitiligo?

Be sure to keep the vitiligo conversation going. Sometimes it may be uncomfortable, but it’s important to give them the chance to express how they’re feeling. Let them know that their experience matters and is worth sharing. There’s a community here ready to help support both you and your loved one, no matter how they’re feeling about vitiligo.

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

How you’ve been feeling about your vitiligo lately (don’t be afraid to be honest)
What you need from them to feel supported
What you know about vitiligo (it’s an autoimmune condition, it’s not contagious, etc.)

Ask your family and friends:

To share their experiences with having a loved one with vitiligo
What they’d like to know about vitiligo and your personal experience
To be advocates for you and the vitiligo community

Your care team—tell it to them
straight

This is a big one: You’ve got to be honest and open with healthcare providers because it may be the only way they really know what’s going on. Don’t say you’re good if you’re not good. Tell it like it is and they'll be able to work with you to manage your vitiligo together. Remember, you can start and lead the conversation about your vitiligo at any time.

If you haven’t seen a dermatologist about your vitiligo in a while, or haven't seen one yet, think about scheduling an appointment. You can compare notes, share your POV, and if you’re interested in treating your vitiligo, ask about any treatment options.

Looking for a new healthcare provider? This Zocdoc* tool can help you arrange either a virtual or in‑person appointment. Enter your ZIP code or State below to see a list of providers in your area.

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Any new areas where vitiligo has popped up or new spots you’ve noticed
The emotional or mental impact that vitiligo may have had on your life recently
Any other symptoms (physical or emotional) you may be experiencing

Ask your provider:

How can we work together to better manage my vitiligo?
What’s new in the world of vitiligo research?
What can I do to protect my skin?

With our dermatologists, we should focus more on the mental health aspect and not just the physical nature of the condition.”

- Mobola

Make your voice heard

Through the Incyte Dermatology ADVocate Network, you can share your vitiligo story and help inspire others on their journey.

Become an Advocate

Start the conversation

It sounds like you’re currently feeling pretty good about your vitiligo, and that’s great! But it’s okay if you don’t feel that way every day. Your Points of Vitiligo (POV) can change at any time, and if it does, it’s important to speak up—lead the conversation with the people who matter to you, and make sure they understand where you’re coming from. Here are some ideas:

Be crystal clear with your care team

Have you spoken to a dermatologist lately about vitiligo? Not only can your condition change, but treatments change, too. And you owe it to yourself to have an honest conversation about managing your condition. If you’re feeling confident, go in and lead the conversation. Be sure to remind your healthcare provider about your history with vitiligo, any treatments you’ve tried, and your real feelings about it. They are there to listen to your feelings, questions, and concerns, and can tell you about available treatment options if you’re interested.

If you’re looking for a new dermatologist, or don’t have one yet, this Zocdoc* tool can help you arrange either a virtual or in‑person appointment. Enter your ZIP code or State below to see a list of providers in your area.

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Any new areas where vitiligo has popped up or new spots you’ve noticed
The emotional or mental impact that vitiligo may have had on your life recently
Any other symptoms (physical or emotional) you may be experiencing

Ask your provider:

How can we work together to better manage my vitiligo?
What’s new in the world of vitiligo research?
What can I do to protect my skin?

With our dermatologists, we should focus more on the mental health aspect and not just the physical nature of the condition.”

- Mobola

- WALKENIA & JOSHUA

Tell family and friends what's going on

They’re the heart and soul of your support system, and it’s important to keep them in the loop. But if you’re ever hesitant about sharing your feelings because you don’t want your loved ones to worry, know that you're not alone in feeling that way. Just try to remember that talking to your loved ones about your condition and explaining your point of view could help them provide the support you deserve.

If you’ve already been clear with them about your feelings, great! If not, then maybe it’s time to try opening up with them a little more about how you really feel about vitiligo.

Does a loved one have vitiligo?

Be sure to keep the vitiligo conversation going. Sometimes it may be uncomfortable, but it’s important to give them the chance to express how they’re feeling. Let them know that their experience matters and is worth sharing. There’s a community here ready to help support both you and your loved one, no matter how they’re feeling about vitiligo.

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

How you’ve been feeling about your vitiligo lately (don’t be afraid to be honest)
What you need from them to feel supported
What you know about vitiligo (it’s an autoimmune condition, it’s not contagious, etc.)

Ask your family and friends:

To share their experiences with having a loved one with vitiligo
What they’d like to know about vitiligo and your personal experience
To be advocates for you and the vitiligo community

Make your voice heard

Through the Incyte Dermatology ADVocate Network, you can share your vitiligo story and help inspire others on their journey.

Become an Advocate

Start here

It sounds like you’ve got some mixed feelings about living with vitiligo. Those different feelings may change over time, or could surface all at once, and that's okay! The good news is that there’s plenty of support out there for whatever you’re feeling. Now is a perfect time to take advantage of it if you haven’t already. Here are some ideas for moving the ball forward:

- WALKENIA & JOSHUA

Lead the conversation with family and friends

Real talk—it can be hard to express how you’re feeling to your family and friends. Whether you naturally tend to keep your feelings in, or simply don’t want your loved ones to worry, being hesitant is normal. Just try to remember that they are the heart and soul of your support system and sharing your perspective with your loved ones could help them support you.

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

How you’ve been feeling about your vitiligo lately (don’t be afraid to be honest)
What you need from them to feel supported
What you know about vitiligo (it’s an autoimmune condition, it’s not contagious, etc.)

Ask your family and friends:

To share their experiences with having a loved one with vitiligo
What they’d like to know about vitiligo and your personal experience
To be advocates for you and the vitiligo community

Re-engage with your care team

When was your last conversation about vitiligo with your healthcare provider? Did you get the answers you needed? You owe it to yourself to have an honest conversation with a provider because not only can your condition change, but your perspective can, too. Be sure to remind the healthcare provider about your history with vitiligo, any treatments you’ve tried, and your real feelings about it. They are there to listen to your feelings, questions, and concerns, and can tell you about available treatment options if you’re interested.

If you’re looking for a new dermatologist, or don’t have one yet, this Zocdoc* tool can help you arrange either a virtual or in‑person appointment. Enter your ZIP code or State below to see a list of providers in your area.

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Any new areas where vitiligo has popped up or new spots you’ve noticed
The emotional or mental impact that vitiligo may have had on your life recently
Any other symptoms (physical or emotional) you may be experiencing

Ask your provider:

How can we work together to better manage my vitiligo?
What’s new in the world of vitiligo research?
What can I do to protect my skin?

With our dermatologists, we should focus more on the mental health aspect and not just the physical nature of the condition.”

- Mobola

Make your voice heard

Through the Incyte Dermatology ADVocate Network, you can share your vitiligo story and help inspire others on their journey.

Become an Advocate

Take the first step

Like so many others, it seems like you might not always feel so good about your vitiligo. Maybe it’s time to think about how sharing your honest feelings about vitiligo may help you. Talking about your experience with vitiligo with the people who matter most may help you get the support you need. Here are some ideas for getting started:

- WALKENIA & JOSHUA

Start a conversation with a friend or family member

Sometimes even the people who know you best don’t really know the whole story. Whether you naturally tend to keep your feelings in, or simply don’t want your loved ones to worry, being hesitant is normal. But it’s important to remember that your family and friends are the heart and soul of your support system, and sharing your perspective with them could help them provide the support you deserve.

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

How you’ve been feeling about your vitiligo lately (don’t be afraid to be honest)
What you need from them to feel supported
What you know about vitiligo (it’s an autoimmune condition, it’s not contagious, etc.)

Ask your family and friends:

To share their experiences with having a loved one with vitiligo
What they’d like to know about vitiligo and your personal experience
To be advocates for you and the vitiligo community

Get your care team on board

You deserve to have the full support of your care team. One of the best ways to make sure that’s happening is through strong communication. If you haven’t spoken recently with a dermatologist about vitiligo, consider scheduling an appointment soon. Your condition, and your feelings about it, can change, and treatments can change, too. At your appointment, remind your healthcare provider of your history with vitiligo, any treatments you’ve tried, and your real feelings about it.

If you’re ready to meet with a dermatologist, but don’t have one just yet, this Zocdoc* tool can help you arrange either a virtual or in‑person appointment. Enter your ZIP code or State below to see a list of providers near you.

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Any new areas where vitiligo has popped up or new spots you’ve noticed
The emotional or mental impact that vitiligo may have had on your life recently
Any other symptoms (physical or emotional) you may be experiencing

Ask your provider:

How can we work together to better manage my vitiligo?
What’s new in the world of vitiligo research?
What can I do to protect my skin?

With our dermatologists, we should focus more on the mental health aspect and not just the physical nature of the condition.”

BE HEARD

BE HEARD

For Mike, losing his pigment felt like losing his identity as a Black man. But after learning the importance of sharing his perspective, he has felt both supported and understood.

Ready to get real? Learn where to start

Let’s start the conversation

Embrace your family and friends

Does a loved one have vitiligo?

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

Ask your family and friends:

Your care team—tell it to them straight

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Ask your provider:

- Mobola

Get social

Advocacy groups—in your corner

Make your voice heard

Start the conversation

Be crystal clear with your care team

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Ask your provider:

- Mobola

Tell family and friends what's going on

Does a loved one have vitiligo?

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

Ask your family and friends:

Get social

Explore the advocacy groups

Make your voice heard

Start here

Lead the conversation with family and friends

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

Ask your family and friends:

Re-engage with your care team

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Ask your provider:

- Mobola

Get social

Check out advocacy groups

Make your voice heard

Take the first step

Start a conversation with a friend or family member

When you’re ready to open up with family and friends, consider these talking points:

Tell your family and friends:

Ask your family and friends:

Get your care team on board

When you’re ready to see a healthcare provider about your vitiligo, consider these talking points:

Tell your provider:

Ask your provider:

- Mobola

See what advocacy groups can offer

Get social

Take this info on the go

Stay in touch

Your care team—tell it to them
straight