Darcy is a 23 year-old from a black family from Trinidad, and in her childhood she was like any other child, happy.
However, at five years of age, strange white spots appeared on Darcy's feet. Her parents took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with definite Vitiligo.
This skin disease causes the emergence of one or more white spots on areas of the skin, due to the loss of melanin pigmentation. However their diagnosis was incorrect.
A different type of skin disease that similarly appears on the face, neck, wrists, thighs, genitals and other places (mainly the soft areas of the skin) was what Darcy was affected by.
Over the years, the white spots on Darcy's body increased more and more and up until the age of 17, instead of being identified as having a black origin, she looked like she came from a European origin.
Vitiligo, as she was first diagnosed with, is having your own immune system destroy pigment cells, called melanocytes. It occurs in 1 out of 100 people.
Darcy is currently working as a designer in London. "My father cooperated with the U.N., and often traveled around the world. Maybe the stress of frequent relocations increased my problems as a child. When the doctor diagnosed me, we hardly paid any attention. I took my medication and was told that everything would blow over, however nothing helped. I tried many treatments, including laser therapy and even when I was 12 years old, 80% of my body was already white, " Darcy reveals.
