Mental wellbeing of patients who have Vitiligo: Tips, tricks, ways to motivate patients

Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes white patches to appear on the skin due to loss of pigmentation and has a significant impact on the mental well-being of an affected individual because coming to terms with the changes in appearance, daily social ostracization, non-inclusion and the resulting sense of isolation can be emotionally draining for vitiligo patients. Mental wellbeing of patients who have Vitiligo: Tips, tricks, ways to motivate patients In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vikram Vora, Medical Director at Indian Subcontinent – International SOS, shared, “There are numerous strategies to help promote self-acceptance and foster resilience in those impacted by this condition. For those impacted, self-acceptance, resilience, and a positive self-image that ensures a fulfilling life, can only happen when we make this effort.” Adding to the list of few simple methods to motivate patients with vitiligo, Dr Sushil Tahiliani, Consultant Dermatologist at PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Mumbai, suggested, “Post-diagnosis, it is extremely important to normalise the disease as only the loss of colour from the body. While they are being re-pigmented, they are also given options of using camouflage creams on the open areas of the body, because it goes a long way in building confidence because when they look at the world, they can discuss what they've gone to discuss, they can study what they're going to study and the topic doesn't get diverted to vitiligo, which can be an irritant and harm the self-confidence.” He concluded, “While also highlighting to them that in case the medicines don't work in some of the stable vitiligo cases, especially the segmental vitiligo cases, we have surgical options which work very well.