Hiding behind the stripe

A mystery lies within my skin.

From time to time, I have people inquire about the patch of white in my beard.

I have grown to roll with it and answer the question and move on.

However, other times, it bothers me.

I have a condition called Vitiligo, where the melanin in various patches has died off and I no longer have pigmentation in those areas.

In my case, but not all, hair that grows from the pale patches is white, hence the stripe in my beard.

The exact cause is unknown, but scientists theorize that it may be due to a deficiency in the immune system.

For me, I have had Vitiligo since I was 5-years-old, so I was subject to the typical hazing, razzing or what ever you want to call it. Even then, it didn't bother me all too often, but one group always grated on my nerves.

I would have people stare at me and ask why I had white patches in my hair -- which is not as visible with its current length, which I will explain why I prefer my hair long in a later blog -- and I would tell them. However, they became annoying very quickly because they would ask again the next day, and the next and so on.

But, I suppose this was just an instance of schoolyard bullying because people are more accepting of it as I have grown up. Plus, my tan is not as dark as it used to be so it is not as visible.

Vitiligo affects approximately 1 percent of the world population and there is no cure at the present time.

There are celebrities who also have Vitiligo. Michael Jackson is the most notable of the celebrities and current Emmy-award winning television reporter Lee Thomas also has this condition.

Thomas (see video) utilizes different types of makeup to cover the large patches of Vitiligo, allowing viewers to focus on the news and entertainment stories he presents rather than on the "void of color," as he eloquently describes it.

It is not contagious or life-threatening, and all it does is accentuate the fact that I am a unique individual.

Those wanting to learn more about Vitiligo may visit http://www.skinsite.com/info_vitiligo.ht..., or other medical web sites.