[Ainafeaiel]

Thanks! It’s great to have this kind of support They might tell me this topic is a bit overambitious for an undergraduate, but it’s worth a try! I’ll dig my heels in a bit first, hehe.

My mum’s ok; she just carries on as normal and doesn’t talk much about her vitiligo, but she’s keen on me to study it. Her vit is mostly on her face, which she covers with a special foundation. She’s got it on her lips too, so they’re almost completely pink. She has a tough time finding highly pigmented, brown lipstick to wear, but i help her out with that. There are very few suitable brands out there!

Well i’d better get working on this project of mine! Again, thanks for the support.

Asha x

[Ainafeaiel]

Hi everyone,

Van, thanks for finding that email addy for me I did my grant proposal on vitiligo & close personal relationships and it went pretty well. I’m starting my dissertation soon as a seperate project and i’m hoping to stick with Vitiligo as my research area. There are ethical problems about researching close relationships, so i’ll probably look how people have adjusted to having vitiligo. I really enjoy learning about it and everyone’s experiences are really interesting.

Mann- i think its great you understanding friends who dont judge you on you vit . What are you studying at Westminster? Im at Regent campus studying psychology. Its all going to be over soon (thank God!) -im in my final year.

Nida- i cant believe people treat you like that. Like my mum always tells me: women always get the raw deal! This site is a really good place to get inspiration- i’ve read some really good advice and ways of coping with bad attitudes. Keep your chin up

Asha XXxx

[Ainafeaiel]

Hi Van,

[QUOTED]
Pyschological impact, relationships… could be one of the areas u could work on.
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Mmm, yeah, i’ve got a good feeling about studying that. I think i’ll go with relationships (parnter/spouse)..although it’s hard to find previous research! I took your advice and posted this on the main board (the other one i posted on is the UK board), so hopefully i’ll get some more ideas and feedback.

[QUOTED]
Also there was a msg from someone in ahemdabad.. who is running a programme ( a first of its kind ) .. u cld talk to her. I will ask her to post a msg here…
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Really! It would be so good if i could get to talk to her. Thanks so much for offering! I’m impressed by how helpful people are on this site

[Ainafeaiel]

Hi Neesha!

Oh we’re almost the same age: i’m 21. That was a really interesting reply, i guessed that the older generation would be more uncomfortable with vitiligo. Maybe it’s a combination of them caring for you and not wanting you to have problems in life….it’s a typical ‘parent thing’

[QUOTED]
when people come over and i don’t have my makeup on, my mum and gran always tell me to go upstairs or something. I think that maybe its them that make me wear the makeup
[/QUOTED]

My mum always puts on makeup when we have visitors! I think it’s kinda sad really, but i think it makes her feel more comfortable. And some of our family friends are terrible gossips, and not very openminded!

[QUOTED]
Asian cultures have definitely got a big part to play in this…and even though i hate to say this, i agree with you that it may be harder to find a marriage partner.
[/QUOTED]

It’s funny how Asian culture sometimes put a surprising amout of importance on looks, especially for women. This isn’t a good example, but i saw a bollywood movie recently (Baghban) were the parents immediately ask the if the girl their son has chosen to marry is pretty. That made me remember how often i’ve been described by my looks first, rather than my personality and interests! Mostly happens when i go back to Mauritius ‘tho.

I hope you feel more comfortable with your Vitiligo as time goes on And thanks for your help!

Asha xx

[Ainafeaiel]

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[Ainafeaiel]

Hi Vandana, thank you for your reply! It’s got me thinking again…

[QUOTED]
I think its a bigger issue for the Asians than the non Asians coz we are darker skinned and the contrast stands out more. Morever, in other non Asian countries , most of the months people are covered up.. coz of the cold climate.
[/QUOTED]

That would mean I wouldn’t be able to compare the cultural experiences of, non-asians and asians because of the differences in vitiligo contrast. Even if Asian Vits did report more anxiety with their condition, it would probably have more to do with their skin colour contrast / mode of dress, than their society. If the two could be separated, it wouldn’t be a problem!

Or i could research the attitiudes of non-vits towards vitiligo and look for cultural differences there…not sure!

Another idea i had was to look at the kinds of relationship issues vits have with their spouses. This is from the FAQ on this site:

[QUOTED]
Relationship issues are without question one of the most important social problems that come up with vitiligo. People with vitiligo are frequently concerned that they will no longer be attractive to their significant others, partners or spouses. What we find to be the case most often, is that the partners of people with vitiligo are often times not terribly concerned about the vitiligo, and often say that it does not bother them. More often, we find that any relationship problems that arise are usually created by the vitiligo-affected partner. So learn to communicate with your partner or spouse, express your concerns and fears, and LISTEN. Another possibility is to make yourself attractive in other ways. Pay attention to your hair, work out, have your teeth fixed. Skin does not always have to be the focal point.
[/QUOTED]

I was surprised to find that little research has been done on this issue from what i’ve seen (maybe i’m not looking hard enough!). Do you think it would be worthwhile to do? I’d probably wouldn’t be a questionnaire, but an interwiew. I’m just writing a grant proposal (not the real thing) for a project which will lead on to next year’s dissertation if all goes well.

Thanks for being so helpful

Asha xx

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