Healing vitiligo is not an easy mission. I visited a dermatologist today for the first time ever. Despite having vitiligo for almost 20 years now, I had never seen a true ‘skin expert’. My new GP insisted that this dermatologist was doing great things with vitiligo. I was so disappointed with my experience that it sent me into deep contemplation about why I write this blog.
20 years ago when I started my vitiligo healing journey I learned very quickly that conventional medicine has no answers for vitiligo, the mysterious skin pigment disorder where the body’s pigment producing cells stop working leaving pure white patches of skin. The cause is a mystery and a cure remains elusive. 2 decades of exploration and now a 3-minute appointment with a highly recommended dermatologist confirmed for me that science and research on chronic health conditions hasn’t come very far in the last 20 years.
The dermatologist was not in the office with me for more than 3 minutes. He did not ask me a single question. He did not examine a single lesion on my body. He had his assistant write me a prescription for an immunosuppressive topical cream.
He didn’t explain what it was for. I didn’t expect a miracle but I did expect a lot more than what I got. Judging by this ’top’ dermatologist’s approach it seems that dermatology is still stumped by Vitiligo.
Holistic help
My vitiligo healing journey has incorporated a lot of health practitioners and I compared my experiences with them to my dermatology experience today. I have worked extensively with two Naturopathic doctors, an acupuncturist, Doctor of Chinese medicine and an Integrative Homeopathy Practitioner.
For each practitioner I completed a super detailed intake questionnaire and spent at least an hour in consultation at our first session. Each practitioner looked deeply for an understanding about what was going on in my body and why it has been manifesting these strange white lesions. The naturopath examined my tongue, eyes, hair, fingernails. The acupuncturist took my pulses, all 12 of them. The homeopathy practitioner asked my about my constitutional tendencies (ie; do I prefer salty or sweet, sleep late or rise early…)
What I really wanted to happen
I’ve already had years of therapeutic work to support the psychological aspects of dealing with a disfiguring skin condition and I am in a great place of self acceptance. I was not surprised by the outcome of the session today. I do know that conventional medicine has not put many resources into vitiligo, hence my delay in seeing a dermatologist. I wasn’t expecting a miracle. So I asked myself a question: “what did I really want from the Dr. today?”
This is what I wanted:
I wanted him to examine and log every white spot on my body so he had both a frame of reference and so he could understand the extent of the true psychological distress caused by my condition.I wanted him to hear the story about how it all started and how it has progressed.I wanted him to know every detail about my 20 years of healing exploration and my findings and experiences with various practitioners.I wanted him to know about my family history, my diet, my lifestyle, the herbs, creams and supplements I have taken over the years.I wanted him to know all of the wacky theories I have about the cause of this disease.I wanted him to comfort me and reassure me.
This is what I got:
I got a 3-minute consultation and a prescription for a topical cream that has received the FDA’s strongest ‘Black Box’ warning for its links to cancer.
Why I write this blog
My dermatologist experience reinforced for me the reasons why I write. I explore and research and play and sweat and eat unpalatable stuff so that I can write. I try out new classes, new foods, new healing modalities. I am always taking pictures of beauty products and fitness equipment. I’m a guinea pig for superfoods, herbal remedies and detox strategies. I do it so I can write.
I write because the science and research we rely on as our health guide is so very, very far away from finding the answers to the chronic health issues we all deal with.
I write because the answers to vibrant health are out there and they are not found where big pharma has its reaches and where research funding is so intricately linked to profit. The answers will not be found where a wholistic approach is bypassed and topical remedies can now be auto-shipped.
I write so that vibrant health is not elusive to anyone.
I started pumping iron and drinking green smoothies in my teens. Now a 40+ mama with 25 years of experience working in the fitness industry, I do things differently. What I discovered during my personal healing journey made me pivot in my approach as a personal fitness and wellness coach. Now I teach people how to sweat, nourish and glow from an entirely new perspective.
Hello, I am interested to know whether you have re-pigmented at all? I have had vitiligo for 24 years and just came upon Medical Medium’s protocol which I understand you have been on. Did the celery juice and heavy metal detox smoothie make a difference?
Hello! Thank you for connecting! It is great to know that I am not alone on this very unique healing journey.
Yes! I have seen some regimentation with Medical Medium protocol. It is subtle, so there is a lot more work to do, but the return of pigment in some areas where there has not been pigment in over 10 years is very exciting. Some details:
I have had spotty patches of pigment return to the large white rings around my eyes. I first noticed this about 1 year into MM protocol. It seems to come in, and fade after a few months, and return again a few months later. Many spots have had no change at all.
Since I have started MM protocol, my vitiligo hasn’t spread. I seem to have arrested any further progress in the disorder. I believe that this may be a result of the MM 369 Liver cleanse, which I have completed 9 times. This powerful purging of decades old ‘sludge’ may be the reason my vitiligo is no longer spreading. I like to think that I got rid of the toxicity from the liver that was surfacing and causing damage at the skin level.
I also continue (as much as I can) with the Liver Rescue morning cleanse: lemon water, celery juice, and Heavy Metal Detox smoothie.
I plan to share more details of this healing journey and look forward to hearing about yours and others journeys!