It’s not uncommon to see people taking advantage of you, especially when you are suffering from “emotional” health condition like vitiligo. Sad, but true – in the wake of the growing vitiligo crisis, another sinister industry is emerging.
Preying on the vulnerability of vitiligo fighters, scams related to vitiligo recovery are becoming very common. To make it worse, more and more websites are claiming to sell natural treatments for vitiligo. Unfortunately, the ineffectiveness of these vitiligo cures can indeed ruin your chances of good recovery and dilute your ability to put trust in any vitiligo treatment again.
While it only takes a careful observation to detect a scam offline, it is the web where you have to be careful about what and whom you believe. Not to forget, the internet may make it easier for fraudsters to hide anonymously. Well, worry not! Help is at hand. If you discover a treatment or product that seems too good to be true, consult this guide to finding vitiligo treatment scams, and quack medicine. It only takes one match in the list to be considered suspect! Hope this is useful.
1 – Dive deep
Double check the information and look for confirmations. You will come across too good to be true testimonials. Be skeptical about everything you read about the treatment results until you have found something (such as clinical trial results) to support the claims. Check what About section (all websites should have one) of the seller. See if you can contact them easily (or quickly) and do they respond to your inquiry?
If the company asks for your bank account details, beware. Don’t share your bank details with people you don’t know. If you think something might be a scam, don’t reply to it.
2 – Beware of herbal and organic
There has been a recent surge of online stores that promote herbal products/drugs to treat vitiligo. Be cautious about these. Not everything that is natural is healthy. Perhaps they are just charging you exorbitant amounts of money for an enticing vitiligo pill that would cost much less if purchased elsewhere.
3 – See if they are beating around the bush
It’s not uncommon to read words like “this treatment helps your body heal itself, remove toxins, maintains balance, and so-and-so,” in the treatment description. If you see something written like this, know for sure that the treatment doesn’t do anything, particularly in the case of a skin disorder like vitiligo. There is a delicate balance in our body (homeostasis) and moving the pendulum too far (in either direction) can have negative consequences. Besides, a skin disorder like vitiligo has more to do with repigmentation process over homeostasis.
4 – Never buy medicines prescribed by an amateur
Special, highly expensive, and exclusive “treatments” that depart from the standard medical protocol are something to be aware of. In many vitiligo treatments sold online, practitioners are often charlatans (a person falsely claiming to have special knowledge or skill) and typically prey on the desperate vitiligo fighters. So, be wary of any medical care offered by a practitioner without an MD after their name. There’s a reason why medical doctors require 7+ years of post-secondary education and practical work.
5 – Know more about vitiligo
As always, knowledge is power. The more you know about vitiligo, the less likely you are to fall for vitiligo treatment scams. Beware of common myths about vitiligo so that you can identify fraud and stay safe from it. Knowledge Base at Unite For Vitiligo will help you improve your understanding of this chronic skin disorder and to find the right treatment for you.