Karma Ayurveda Reviews USA: How I lived with vitiligo (leucoderma) for years, hiding until I found the courage to face the world again
By Sophia Reynolds, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
If you have never been stared at in public due to the way you look, consider yourself lucky.
I'm Sophia Reynolds, a 35-year-old based in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. As a real estate agent, I interact with people on a daily basis and confidence is a must. However, I've lacked it for a while.
It all started with a tiny white patch on my inner left wrist.
I ignored it.
A few months later, a patch the same size appeared on my inner right ankle.
Then one morning as I applied makeup to my face, I noticed another white patch just below my left ear.
After visiting countless doctors, I was finally diagnosed with vitiligo (leucoderma).
The doctor explained all that was known about the condition to me, but was it enough to prepare me for the actual battle to come? Absolutely not. It was all about how to cope and how to deal with the condition.
Sometimes the stares were questioning and other times I'd simply endure the stares. Other times it was whispering, and other times it was avoiding the topic, which was even worse.
I spent months hiding my skin. I wore long sleeves throughout the summer, applied makeup and foundation on a daily basis, and I edited out my skin before posting any photos on my social media sites. I even refused to go to the beach, even though I was just a few miles away from one of the most gorgeous coastlines in the US.
The tipping point came during a showing for a property when a little boy pointed at my face, then looked at his mother and said, "Mom, why does that lady's face look like that?" She apologized and I just stood there trying not to burst into tears. I wished the ground would swallow me whole.
That evening as I looked up stories of people that suffered from the same condition, I stumbled upon Karma Ayurveda Reviews USA. Although I was very skeptical, I kept reading because I found so many that didn't just talk about the physical side of vitiligo, but the emotional as well as their change in lifestyle.
I scheduled an appointment. What surprised me during my initial visit were the questions that were asked. The doctors there weren't asking questions about my skin, they asked about my diet, my digestion, my stress levels, my lifestyle, my family history and my over all health. It felt like for the first time, it wasn't about the condition, but about me.
I agreed to the personalized treatment plan they gave me based on the tailored treatment they provided, though I continued to visit my regular doctor. In the weeks following the Karma Ayurveda treatment, my diet was changed, I eliminated processed foods, my sleep patterns were improved, I started going for walks each morning, and I stopped holding onto stress. Slowly, everything in my life began to shift.
The very first sign that change was happening wasn't on my skin; it was in my head. I wasn't obsessively checking my reflection or trying to imagine everyone in public looking at me, I started focusing on the conversations around me instead. I realized that I no longer cared what anyone thought of my appearance. Then one morning, I received the most unforgettable moment. I was invited to my best friend's birthday party, and I wore a short-sleeved dress to the party without covering my spots. The party was a great time, and by 10:30 pm I realized that nobody actually cared that I had vitiligo, they laughed and they talked with me and they just partied. I was stuck in a prison in my own mind.
Although I was located in South Carolina, communication with Karma Ayurveda was by far from the issue it could have been; each and every step and follow-up during my treatment with Karma Ayurveda was helpful and organized and my concerns were all met with patience and great detail. I also really appreciated the fact that Karma Ayurveda never over promised me the impossible, or guaranteed me that they could completely cure me of vitiligo, but explained that this disease needs patience and a lot of dedication to heal which in turn, gave me the courage that I needed.
I continue to prioritize my health, diet and sleep even to this day. However, I have had an invisible change take place which can't be measured by a doctor; I no longer hide my condition. Last month, I decided to post a photo on my social media accounts with my skin completely natural without any covering and I remember getting a comment from a stranger that I will never forget: "You look truly happy." I was; and I knew right then and there that happiness wasn't in the look of skin but in the discovery that I wasn't just skin and that my skin was not defined by how it looked.
If you are looking up Karma Ayurveda Reviews USA, the chances are high that, like me, you are seeking the hope that everything will be okay. Perhaps you are tired of looking in the mirror and shying away from certain clothing that you love, believing that you are being judged. I understand completely. But do you want to know something about judgment? Although, you may catch a glimpse of a person because of how they look, you will most likely not remember their face; you will remember how they carried themselves. Looking back, it wasn't the vitiligo that changed my skin; it was my life, and Karma Ayurveda was part of a long process that led to understanding that someone else may not be who you need; someone already exists inside. As a real estate agent today, I work on finding clients their dream houses and don't wonder whether they are looking at me strangely for the one second that I may be passing their field of vision. My life is too short to hide in fear, and if this story has helped just one person seeking out Karma Ayurveda Reviews USA then my work here is done.
The prettiest thing you'll ever wear is your confidence that you can stop apologizing for your skin.