Vitiligo affects the pigmentation of the skin, eyes, and hair, often resulting in milk-white blotches on these regions of the body. While this condition is best known for affecting a person's physical appearance by eliminating color, it can also take an internal toll by eliminating self-confidence.
If you experience this condition and sometimes feel out-of-place in a society that arguably places too much emphasis on physical appearance, you're in good company. Below is a list of musicians, actors, and other celebrities who have achieved great success, living lives that are unhindered by vitiligo:
- Michael Jackson – The most obvious example of a celebrity who suffered from vitiligo would be the king of pop. Before his death, there was great controversy surrounding Michael Jackson’s sudden change in skin color, but it was confirmed by his autopsy that he did, in fact, suffer from vitiligo. Michael Jackson didn’t let it keep him from carving a place for himself in the rock and roll hall of fame.
- Joe Rogan – An American actor, TV host, and well-known standup comedian, Rogan has not let his vitiligo limit his potential.
- Rasheed Wallace – Now retired, Wallace was a successful basketball player in the NBA for nearly a decade.
- Jon Hamm – A TV director and television producer, Hamm has recently struck fame by acting in the popular TV show Mad Men. Ironically, he states that he wasn't affected by the condition before his role as Don Draper on the show – times of great stress can sometimes trigger the disorder to show itself for the first time.
- Steve Martin – Famous actor and writer Steve Martin is affected by vitiligo, but this has not gotten in the way of him starring in leading roles of many well-known movies such as The Jerk, Parenthood, and Cheaper by the Dozen.
- Richard Hammond – Hammond is a host of Top Gear, a British television show that has grown popular in both the U.K. and the U.S. What viewers might not know about the witty car enthusiast is that he suffers from vitiligo.
- Tamar Braxton – Braxton has made a very successful career for herself as a singer, but she has been accused of skin-bleaching. She opened up about her vitiligo recently on the talk show The Real, saying “I just decided, ‘you know what Tamar, you’re going to accept yourself for who you are,’ because either you’re going to like me for me, or you’re not going to like me!”
- Chantelle Brown-Young – Recently appearing on the show America’s Next Top Model, Brown-Young has been very successful at making a name for herself in the modeling industry. What is interesting about her is that she has used her vitiligo to her advantage rather than try to hide it. She wears it proudly and it makes her stand out as unique and memorable. She has been very successful at raising awareness for the condition. She has been quoted giving the following advice to others who suffer from the condition: "Focus on your opinion of yourself and not the opinion others have of you."
