Vitiligo: What is it?
Vitiligo is a skin condition resulting from loss of pigment which produces white patches. Any part of the body may be affected. Common areas of involvement are the face, lips, hands, arms, legs.
This dear and lovely lady and her daughter called and asked if covering Vitiligo with makeup that wouldn't rub off was a possibility. They had tried makeup coverup, tattoo cover, but, always melted, rubbed off made a huge mess on clothes since she is of darker skin.A large portion the lack of pigment (what gives us our color) 
areas is light in color, her face is most affected. She wants to attend her daughters wedding next year without looking all discolored. As you know, this condition can cause a lot of emotional pain. Her only option right now for immediate results is using waterproof makeup.
Below is the process of covering it up with aribrush makeup. Not only did it give her back her color, but it looks as though it is her own skin. In addition, no worries that it will rub off on her guests clothes when giving hugs and kisses!
A combination of waterproof formulas and advanced airbrush makeup techniques were applied. I used similar techniques as when covering tattoos.
To view more photos of tattoo, scar and other conditions, visit, www.bridalgal.com
Client's Testimonial:
Lilly,
My mom and I wanted to formally thank you for meeting with us last week. The complete change in my mom’s demeanor and disposition after the consult was indescribable!! We both heaved a sigh of relief and the excitement of my upcoming wedding was finally upon us.
We are both immensely grateful to have found you and we have David Tutera’s first season of “My Fair Wedding” on WETV to thank for the resource.
Just to give a little background of my mom’s condition and how we found you.
About three years ago my mom began losing her pigment as a small patch on her forefinger. Relentlessly she visited various dermatologists who all gave her the same answer – there is no cure and no known cause. In the three year time frame the patch quickly began to spread and left her skin splotchy and unevenly toned. In addition to losing her pigment my mom began to lose more of herself. Once an outgoing, jovial, friendly “mom of moms” she steadily became withdrawn and did not want to be in unfamiliar places. She continued to go to work, although she could sense distance from once friendly co-workers and passed over for promotions by management, even fellow church parishioners made her feel slightly unwelcomed in a place of worship in which she held over a five year membership. This cold treatment began to take a toll on her emotionally and she began to recoil – not wanting to go out or leave the house unless otherwise necessary.
Her once warm, bright smiling eyes began to dull and take on a permanent look of sadness which would break any child’s heart. To see my mom this way was devastating. In her many attempts to find treatment she traveled overseas to a clinic which specialized in Vitiligo treatment for a one week stay hoping to find solace and rescue with the topical treatment they offered. Instead her condition worsened, but her faith that she would be cured eventually strengthened. In April of 2009 I visited a Manhattan dermatologist for an unrelated condition and mentioned my mom’s condition in passing. Much to my surprise he referred me to his colleague, Dr. Nanette B. Silverberg, MD who specializes in pediatric dermatology and Vitiligo and works out of a Manhattan office. Immediately I scheduled an appointment for my mom and told her afterwards. She was on the verge of tears that perhaps this doctor might be her saving grace.
In February of 2009 I got engaged and our families hosted a small engagement party over Memorial Day weekend. One of our gifts was a professional photographer at the event. I have never seen my mom so alive! She was so proud and so happy for my fiancé and I- she adores this young man and is so grateful that I will be sharing the rest of my life with him. I thought the pictures were amazing- you could feel the love and support from our guests specifically our parents oozing from the photos. The photographer was wonderful enough to make my mom her own copy of the pictures. Little did I know this would create a new angst and worry for my mother. As she reviewed the pictures she was awestruck by just how much her condition had worsened and it made her miserable. She tried sending out the pictures to a colleague to have them airbrushed – specifically her face. She was mortified and she began to worry about what she would look by my wedding day in September of 2010.
It broke my heart to see her so dissatisfied with pictures that I thought were perfect, but I had to step into her shoes and out of mine. I have known this woman for over thirty years. Pigment or no pigment I see a woman that has loved me unconditionally and has been by my side for every milestone and not so milestone event I have experienced. I see a woman who sacrificed to give me the best life possible and instilled in me values that would disallow me to judge someone by their appearance and encourage me to see the beauty of the person within. So of course I didn’t see a woman who was losing her pigment and her self esteem- I saw my mom. That Monday, May 25, 2009 I finally saw the look of horror and terror on this woman’s face and I understood entirely. She was living in a shell of her former self. Only pictures would remind her and my future grandchildren of her once even toned skin and the joy that danced around her eyes when she discussed her family and her children. It broke my heart. My mom began referring to herself as a penguin and would say “I don’t want to look like a penguin at my eldest daughter’s wedding”. “I don’t want to look like a freak in her wedding pictures.”
Quickly my engagement became bittersweet – I was excited to marry my soul mate but haunted by the look on my mom’s face from our engagement pictures. I felt solely responsible for helping to correct this. I remembered the “Mandy/Marilyn Monroe aficionado” episode from David Tutera’s first season of My Fair wedding and her garish tattoo that David refused to be seen at her swanky ceremony and thought, if a tattoo can be covered, maybe my mom’s Vitiligo can be covered, even only if temporarily. I began to Google tattoo airbrush cover-up artists and came across Lilly Rivera aka Bridal Gal. I wasted no time at all calling Lilly to explain mom’s situation. She was the sweetest ever – she scheduled an appointment with us for the same week and honestly admit she had never performed such a case but would gladly offer a complimentary consultation to test her skill set against my mother’s unique condition. She was professional, enthusiastic and warm. I could sense both my mom’s excitement and trepidation. She was excited at the prospect, but worried that this might be another failed attempt. When it was all said and done we both agreed we reached this impasse for good reason.
We arrive at Lilly’s studio promptly at eleven and she begins to test products on Mom after providing an in depth explanation of her intentions – to TRY HER BEST TO HELP US and the difference between airbrushing and layering foundation. All the while we are taking pictures of her work and watching the transformation come alive. I sat on the sidelines taking photos with both my camera and Lily’s, amazed by what I was witnessing – the re-emergence of my mom! We took breaks infrequently and mom sneaked a peak in the mirror, but still not convinced it would last.
The grand finale was the napkin test – Lilly dabbed and pressed a gauze pad against mom’s cheek to test the durability of the makeup as to whether or not it would smudge, smear or wipe off – IT DIDN’T! My mom’s eyes closed as Lilly dabbed in fear that our visit might have been for naught and quickly re-opened to see a blank and make-up free gauze pad. Her eyes became the size of saucers and in that instant I saw the woman I knew to be my mom! We all jumped in glee and hugged Lilly and posed quickly for another photograph. My mother was close to tears, but quickly regained her composure and said to Lilly” Thank you for giving my life back to me. I can attend my daughter’s wedding and share with her and our family the joy in my heart without hiding behind different colors. You have no idea what this visit has done for me emotionally and spiritually”. Lilly, the sweetheart she is gave my mom a warm hug and thanked her as well for coming to visit the studio.
Our day and the remainder of our wedding planning was off to a great start and I have Lilly Rivera by way of David Tutera to thank for giving my mom and myself a wedding gift of a lifetime. My mom has her hope and her life back and I have my mom back!
Warm Regards,Summa
What Determines Skin Color?
Melanin, the pigment that determi
ones color of skin, hair, and eyes, is produced in cells called melanocytes. If these cells die or cannot form melanin, the skin becomes lighter or completely white.
Vitiligo often begins with a rapid loss of pigment. The course and severity of pigment loss differ with each person. Light-skinned people usually notice the contrast between areas of vitiligo and suntanned skin in the summer. Year round, vitiligo is more obvious on people with darker skin. Individuals with severe cases can lose pigment all over the body. There is no way to predict how much pigment an individual will lose.
How is Vitiligo Treated?
In fair-skinned individuals, avoiding tanning of normal skin can make areas of vitiligo almost unnoticeable because the (no pigment) white skin, of vitiligo has no natural protection from sun. In darker skinned individuals the contrast is quite noticeable. As you can see above.
The lighter areas are easily sunburned, and people with vitiligo have an increased risk to skin cancer. Wearing sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 (I personally recommend much higher sun factor) should be used on all areas of vitiligo. Avoid the sun when it is most intense to avoid burns in any ca
Who Gets Vitiligo?
Vitiligo affects one or two of every 100 people. About half the people who develop it do so before the age of 20; about one - fifth have a family member with this condition. It may be an autoimmune process (the body makes antibodies to its own pigment cells). Most people with vitiligo are in good general health, although vitiligo may occur with other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease.
Melanin, the pigment that determines color of skin, hair, and eyes, is produced in cells called melanocytes. If these cells die or cannot form melanin, the skin becomes lighter or completely white. This is said to be Michael Jackson's condition. If we all remember, he walked around with an umbrella always protecting himself of the harmful sun rays.
How Does Vitiligo Develop?
Typical vitiligo shows areas of milky-white skin. However, the degree of pigment loss can vary within each vitiligo patch. There may be different shades of pigment in a patch, or a border of darker skin may circle an area of light skin.
Vitiligo often begins with a rapid loss of pigment. This may continue until, for unknown reasons, the process stops. Cycles of pigment loss, followed by times where the pigment doesn't change, may continue indefinitely.
It is rare for skin pigment in vitiligo patients to return on its own. Some people who believe they no longer have vitiligo actually have lost all their pigment and no longer have patches of contrasting skin color. Although their skin is all one color, they still have vitiligo.
The course and severity of pigment loss differ with each person. Light-skinned people usually notice the contrast between areas of vitiligo and suntanned skin in the summer. Year round, vitiligo is more obvious on people with darker skin. Individuals with severe cases can lose pigment all over the body. There is no way to predict how much pigment an individual will lose.
Next time, Saludos!
Lilly Rivera, Founder
Airbrush Makeup Artist, New York NY
Recent Comments