Photos: Rare Skin Condition Leaves Woman With Huge White Patches All Over Her Body

A woman with a rare skin condition has been left with huge white patches all over her body. Lisa Johnson developed vitiligo when she was a child and bullies have made her life a misery ever since.

The rare long-term condition, caused by a lack of a chemical called melanin, causes white patches to develop on the skin. She is suffering severely from the disorder with white patches covering over a third of her body.

But a new treatment and a state of the art makeover could be about to change that. The condition is not life-threatening, but its psychological effects can be devastating to sufferers.
     

"When I was in high school the kids were very mean to me. The abuse, the name-calling and the fighting were all very difficult to deal with. I would just go home and cry. I would always run home straight to my sister. She has always had my back and fought my battles for me. I'm just so glad I had somebody there who would stick up for me and help me through the difficult times. The years of bullying have led me to always expect the worst when I'm out in public. It's really difficult." 

In her home city of Los Angeles, US, Lisa often attracts stares from the public. Her friend Robert Allen said: "The stares are difficult to deal with.
     
"Instead of just saying 'hello, how are you?' people just stare at her.Amazingly, she does not let it get to her or if she does, she does not show it."

                                       

Mirror  reports that Lisa had a normal, happy childhood until she noticed a white mark on her body, but she had no idea what was to come or how fast it would spread. She added:

"I noticed it when I was around seven years old, then it developed on to my leg and it just kept spreading."
                                   

After 17 years of suffering she has turned to a skin specialist to for help. Dr Pearl Grimes, who has been working with Lisa on her condition, said: "This condition dramatically affects quality of life.            
"It can interfere with a person's physical and mental wellbeing with devastating effects. But there is hope available for Lisa, I'm recommending a course of NarrowbandUV light therapy, which should re-colour her skin."

                                                 

The therapy could take some time to take effect, so in the short term Lisa has been given a specialist cover-up product. A computer generates a special formula after analysing images of Lisa's skin and it tells a dermatologist how much of each colour to use to cover over the white patches. After the procedure, Lisa said:

"It just feels absolutely fantastic. To see the smile on my sister's face when she saw me really warms my heart and my soul. I feel like I can be me again."