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Employment and Vit

Posted by Leo on June 30, 2013 at 3:48pm in Main

I believe having Vitiligo is a handicap is your trying to change jobs or networking. I have been to interviews where they just cant stop looking at the visible areas where the spots are present.

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Replies

  • Lei January 10, 2014 at 2:15pm

    I've experienced this.  The worst part is trying to continue speaking when you can see the interviewer continues to glance down at your hands...completely ignoring what you're discussing.

  • sunnie July 2, 2013 at 1:37pm
    where do u guys get your benoquin or monobenzone, i have difficulty getting here in hong kong, can u plz advice?
    thanks Sunnie
  • Hector July 2, 2013 at 10:41am

    I've had an interview where the guy hesitated to shake my hand, that made me feel bad at the time.

    • Cory Kloos > Hector July 2, 2013 at 11:19am

      You should have chased him yelling "It's contagious!!!"

  • Leo July 2, 2013 at 9:10am
    Thanks for your feedback Steve! It really made me feel better. Regards
  • Steve Hargadon July 2, 2013 at 7:05am

    I ALWAYS, ALWAYS bring it up and tell people what it is.  This serves two purposes for me.  First, I own it, and that takes away any worry or second-guessing.  Second, there is an interesting story to be told (Michael Jackson actually had it, it's likely auto-immune, it's believed to have been referred to interchangeably with Leprosy in the Bible, people with V are less likely to get skin cancer), and people will remember that.

    It sounds trite, but owning it and being forthcoming and unwilling to let it make me feel badly have changed my life.  I speak professionally quite a bit, and I always talk about it in my presentations and about this network of people who've gathered from all over the world to support each other, and the UniquelyBeautiful.net site.  I met a woman last week who broke down in tears while talking to me about her Vitiligo, and there are so many of our fellow V comrades who are in pain that getting over it ourselves also allows us to help them...

    Onward and upward, Leo!  :)

  • Leo July 1, 2013 at 5:41am
    Thats true Mary, thats why I hit the gym about 5 times a week and try show confidence with a little dermablend on the side...thanks for your feedback!
    • Mary > Leo July 2, 2013 at 5:28pm
      You definitely look fit, :). I hit the track 5x week, and do free weights. Unfortunately, I tore a hamstring playing tennis almost 2 weeks ago! First athletic related injury for me. But I m back on the treadmill working myself up slowly! I don't want another hamstring injury, hurts like hell! I'm 5'11" without heels, so I just hold myself high and ignore the looks. I love water parks, but also dread them in a way. It is next to impossible to hide your vitiligo in a bathing suit. I definitely feel the look of people, especially kids. But I think to myself, things could be worse. I don't know..... But it is nice to talk to other people with vit. I have only known one other person with it. She was much more open about it than me.
      • Leo > Mary July 3, 2013 at 3:43pm

        Hi! I haven't met anybody in a personal level with Vitiligo yet..I also love waterparks and the beach. Summer is the time when I get a little sad because it looks even worse. Even though I use dermablend on my arms to try to cover my spreading spots,it looks fake and in the rest of the body is even more noticeable once you get tanned..Last year I went to the Caribbean and after 3 days , I was really embarrassed..but I just tried to ignore it

         

  • Mary July 1, 2013 at 4:57am
    I have to agree. But probably no worse than other perceived physical problem, like obesity, severe acne or being excessively short. I don't know, I just try to keep myself in good physical shape and show confidence and ignore the looks. That is just the way it is. Showing confidence is the most important thing....
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