Ezgi Caymaz first met vitiligo when she was 23 years old. It started around her lips and spread quickly. Understandably, it was quite difficult for her to get used to vitiligo in the first place. She recalls, “People looked at me differently. A nurse told me that I would never get married. At first, it was hard to accept my condition, but I love my vitiligo now.”
By now, we all know that different people see vitiligo differently. Ezgi feels people are divided into two groups, good and bad. She shares, “Some people are scared of it, they think it’s contagious, and they often confuse it with psoriasis. Some young children get scared of touching me, but some love them very much.”
It is not easy to deal with vitiligo at a young age. The way people stare at you can make anybody conscious and invest in a bad self-image. But, Ezgi feels, with the right approach, you get over these problems, and you get used to your new body: “Yes, I’ve had difficulties. But, it was always still easy for me to make friends. I believe people do not like you for how you look. They like you for who you really are. Also, vitiligo hasn’t done any harm to me. I just have to be more careful and protect myself from the sun.”
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Drawing pictures during tough times affected Ezgi very positively. She shares how: “Working on art changed the way I perceived vitiligo. I see the vitiligo in my body as a map now. And these patches somehow guide me through difficult times.” That’s an interesting analogy. Isn’t it?
When we asked Ezgi what message she would like to share with fellow vitiligo fighters, she had something beautiful to say, “If you are new with vitiligo, do not worry. Vitiligo is not contagious; it is harmless. In fact, it chooses sensitive and special people. Your skin just gives you a new look, so we are not different from other people.”
Ezgi is a full-time designer in Turkey. She owns a brand, named Zuru by Zigi. Drawing pictures on photographs is Ezgi’s passion. She wishes to draw a children’s book in the near future. This way, she will be able to tell children about vitiligo more creatively. Unite For Vitiligo wishes her all the best!
