Have you ever been turned away from something as ordinary as a haircut? This happened to Daphne Loo, 42, who has vitiligo – an autoimmune disorder that causes parts of her skin to lose pigmentation.
Recalling the incident, which happened six to seven years ago, Loo told CNA Women that upon noticing the white patches on her face and body, the hairstylist immediately asked: “Is it safe for us to touch you?”
Loo reassured her that it was – vitiligo is not contagious. But the hairstylist made a big show of putting on gloves to avoid direct contact with Loo’s skin.
Then, she saw the whitish and reddish patches on Loo’s scalp, and some flaking due to another non-contagious chronic inflammatory skin condition, scalp psoriasis.
The hairstylist recoiled. “You have a skin disease. I am not willing to cut your hair,” she told Loo.
Because of her skin condition, Loo has endured blatant stares, audible whispers, and unsolicited advice – but this was one of the worst experiences she had ever experienced. She felt hurt and insulted.
That said, looking different also became her strength, giving her the courage to go against the grain. She began competing in powerlifting in 2014, when few women participated in the sport, in part because it was considered unattractive for women to be bulky.
Loo competing in Powerlifting Invitational 2019. (Photo: Aiman Aziz)
Over the years, Loo has won multiple medals, paving the way for a growing number of female powerlifting athletes.
“Vitiligo allowed me to not care what other people thought,” the Singapore permanent resident said.
The first white patches appeared on the back of Loo’s neck in 2008. Her friends noticed it and took pictures to show her.
Worried, she sent the pictures to her sister who is a doctor and was told it was likely to be vitiligo. Struggling to accept this, she hid the patch by wearing her hair down.
However, within a couple of months, the patches spread to her eye and lip area. Loo finally consulted a dermatologist and was diagnosed with vitiligo.
Powerlifting gave her more confidence to live with vitiligo, Loo said. This photo was taken in 2014. (Photo: Daphne Loo)
Loo was given topical creams to slow down the spread of depigmentation, and advised to manage stress and use sunscreen daily to prevent sunburn because depigmented patches are more vulnerable to sun damage.
But within months, white patches appeared on her limbs.
Loo began phototherapy in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to even out skin tone. As a Malaysian citizen, her treatment was heavily subsidised.
However, her long hours working at a public relations agency here made these twice- to thrice-weekly cross-border commutes unsustainable, and she stopped the treatment after a couple of months.
“Ultimately, vitiligo is skin-deep for most people. In my case, it was a discoloration.
“It’s not itchy or painful,” she said. Some vitiligo patients do experience itching, tingling or a mild burning sensation, especially when the vitiligo is spreading.
“So when it became apparent that it wasn’t going to go away, I think I accepted it,” Loo said. That was 2010, and she was 27 years old then.
Professor Steven Thng Tien Guan, deputy director of National Skin Centre (NSC), has these insights on vitiligo:
Cause: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease – white blood cells attack and destroy the skin’s melanocytes (pigment-producing cells), leading to white patches on the skin. Genetics may predispose individuals to vitiligo. It can also be triggered by injury to the skin, stress and sunburn.
Prevalence: In Asia, around seven in a 1,000 people have vitiligo.
Treatment: 70 to 80 per cent of patients can regain skin colour with the right treatment.
Treatment includes oral and topical medications that suppress the immune system, prevent the white patches from spreading, and reduce inflammation to support re-pigmentation.
A new topical ruxolitinib cream that supports repigmentation is also pending full regulatory approvals in Singapore. It has already been approved in the United States, Europe and Hong Kong.
NSC is conducting a real-world study in Singapore, the largest such study in Southeast Asia, to evaluate its safety and efficacy for the Asian population. The ruxolitinib cream is available to vitiligo patients for this NSC study via a special access route. Interested patients may contact NSC directly, or via a polyclinic or CHAS GP referral, from which they will be assessed for suitability.
Other treatment options include phototherapy, exposing depigmented skin to controlled doses of ultraviolet light to stimulate pigment production; and grafting, a short, day surgery where healthy pigment cells are transplanted from the patient’s own skin to affected areas to restore pigmentation.
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“Although I accepted that there’s nothing much that I can do about it, having people point it out and constantly give me unsolicited advice still bothered me,” Loo said.
Strangers stared, children whispered about it to their parents, and Loo was told by well-meaning people to eat certain foods – there is no scientific evidence that dietary changes can cure vitiligo.
Even at pharmacies, salespersons would tout their suncare and brightening products as the miracle salve to her chronic skin condition.
“It got to the point where every time I walk into a pharmacy, I would feel so stressed,” Loo said.
Loo’s personal advice for others with vitiligo or who feel targeted for being different: “Speak your own truth and let yourself be heard.” (Photo: Daphne Loo)
To avoid stares, Loo tried her best to conceal her white patches with makeup.
In her late 20s, she also struggled with body image issues and confidence. Some photos she had taken made her feel “fat and ugly”. The 1.55m-tall woman was 70kg at that point.
She began an extreme diet and exercise regimen, losing 19kg over 11 months. But this was so intense that she started losing hair and her period stopped.
It was a wake-up call. Realising that her weight obsession was unhealthy, in 2012, Loo heeded a friend’s advice to try weightlifting to build muscles and get healthier instead.
What surprised her was how good she was at it. “It became addictive. I wanted to push my own limits and find out how much stronger I could get,” she laughed.
Training three to four times a week for two hours each time, Loo did become stronger. Two years later, she took part in the Singapore Powerlifting Open 2014 and won her first gold medal in the women’s category.
Few women at that time competed in powerlifting, which involves squats, bench presses and deadlifts, although this number has grown over the years. There were only a handful of women in that competition, said Loo.
Vitiligo and looking different reshaped her outlook and drew her to powerlifting in 2014, an uncommon sport for women then. (Photo: Aiman Aziz)
Looking back, Loo said if she did not have vitiligo, she might not have gone down this less trodden path. “I think I’d have been a lot vainer and want to be seen as more feminine,” she laughed.
However, powerlifting reshaped her career path. In 2014, Loo left her public relations job, took a two-year career break, and then began working in the fitness industry as a coach in 2016.
Over the next decade, she took part in numerous competitions in Singapore and overseas, winning around 15 to 20 gold, silver and bronze medals, by her own estimation.
She last competed in the Hygieia Masters Powerlifting Meet 2023 – a competition for athletes aged 40 and above – when she turned 40. She placed first in the Women Raw 69 Master 1 category for female athletes up to 69kg in weight and between the ages of 40 to 49.
She achieved 115kg for squats (squatting with a loaded barbell on the back), 60kg for bench press (lowering and pushing a barbell off the chest while lying on a bench) and 132.5kg for deadlift (lifting a barbell from the ground).
Powerlifting helped Loo become more confident and comfortable in her own skin – she has now stopped covering up her vitiligo with makeup before going to work at her gym.
Loo turned 42 this year and says that after a long struggle, she is happy with the life she has built. (Photo: Daphne Loo)
She hopes that by sharing her story, she can raise awareness and help others with vitiligo. Vitiligo is not contagious, she stressed, and she hopes that the public will not shun those with the skin condition.
Sometimes, even stares can have a huge impact on individuals with vitiligo, she added. “Even if these are not malicious, they may make the person feel self-conscious or feel like they should not appear in public or that they should do more to cover up their vitiligo.”
Having struggled with self-image for many years, Loo hopes to help others – not just vitiligo patients – find confidence. In January, Loo bought over Stoic Strength, a strength-training gym, with her husband. She now runs it alone as head coach.
Loo now co-owns and runs a strength training gym, Stoic Strength. (Photo: Annie Tan)
“For a lot of women, the ideal beauty standard is being slim or skinny like a K-pop star. But I think the mindset is slowly shifting.
“Nowadays, a lot of women are okay with having muscle definition and biceps. I would like to help more women who feel boxed in by societal expectations to see that there are different ways to feel confident,” she said.
“A lot of people find that their confidence level increases when they know that they are stronger,” she said. “I want to help people get stronger and feel more confident.”
Having this clarity of vision has been empowering, Loo added.
“This is the first year in a long time where I feel like there are a lot of things that I’m excited about. I don’t dread going to work. I am happy with the life I built. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
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Recalling the incident, which happened six to seven years ago, Loo told CNA Women that upon noticing the white patches on her face and body, the hairstylist immediately asked: “Is it safe for us to touch you?”
Loo reassured her that it was – vitiligo is not contagious. But the hairstylist made a big show of putting on gloves to avoid direct contact with Loo’s skin.
Then, she saw the whitish and reddish patches on Loo’s scalp, and some flaking due to another non-contagious chronic inflammatory skin condition, scalp psoriasis.
The hairstylist recoiled. “You have a skin disease. I am not willing to cut your hair,” she told Loo.
Because of her skin condition, Loo has endured blatant stares, audible whispers, and unsolicited advice – but this was one of the worst experiences she had ever experienced. She felt hurt and insulted.
That said, looking different also became her strength, giving her the courage to go against the grain. She began competing in powerlifting in 2014, when few women participated in the sport, in part because it was considered unattractive for women to be bulky.
Loo competing in Powerlifting Invitational 2019. (Photo: Aiman Aziz)
Over the years, Loo has won multiple medals, paving the way for a growing number of female powerlifting athletes.
“Vitiligo allowed me to not care what other people thought,” the Singapore permanent resident said.
LOOKED LIKE THE REVERSE OF A SUNBURN
The first white patches appeared on the back of Loo’s neck in 2008. Her friends noticed it and took pictures to show her.
Worried, she sent the pictures to her sister who is a doctor and was told it was likely to be vitiligo. Struggling to accept this, she hid the patch by wearing her hair down.
However, within a couple of months, the patches spread to her eye and lip area. Loo finally consulted a dermatologist and was diagnosed with vitiligo.
Powerlifting gave her more confidence to live with vitiligo, Loo said. This photo was taken in 2014. (Photo: Daphne Loo)
Loo was given topical creams to slow down the spread of depigmentation, and advised to manage stress and use sunscreen daily to prevent sunburn because depigmented patches are more vulnerable to sun damage.
But within months, white patches appeared on her limbs.
Loo began phototherapy in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to even out skin tone. As a Malaysian citizen, her treatment was heavily subsidised.
However, her long hours working at a public relations agency here made these twice- to thrice-weekly cross-border commutes unsustainable, and she stopped the treatment after a couple of months.
“Ultimately, vitiligo is skin-deep for most people. In my case, it was a discoloration.
“It’s not itchy or painful,” she said. Some vitiligo patients do experience itching, tingling or a mild burning sensation, especially when the vitiligo is spreading.
“So when it became apparent that it wasn’t going to go away, I think I accepted it,” Loo said. That was 2010, and she was 27 years old then.
WHAT IS VITILIGO?
Professor Steven Thng Tien Guan, deputy director of National Skin Centre (NSC), has these insights on vitiligo:
Cause: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease – white blood cells attack and destroy the skin’s melanocytes (pigment-producing cells), leading to white patches on the skin. Genetics may predispose individuals to vitiligo. It can also be triggered by injury to the skin, stress and sunburn.
Prevalence: In Asia, around seven in a 1,000 people have vitiligo.
Treatment: 70 to 80 per cent of patients can regain skin colour with the right treatment.
Treatment includes oral and topical medications that suppress the immune system, prevent the white patches from spreading, and reduce inflammation to support re-pigmentation.
A new topical ruxolitinib cream that supports repigmentation is also pending full regulatory approvals in Singapore. It has already been approved in the United States, Europe and Hong Kong.
NSC is conducting a real-world study in Singapore, the largest such study in Southeast Asia, to evaluate its safety and efficacy for the Asian population. The ruxolitinib cream is available to vitiligo patients for this NSC study via a special access route. Interested patients may contact NSC directly, or via a polyclinic or CHAS GP referral, from which they will be assessed for suitability.
Other treatment options include phototherapy, exposing depigmented skin to controlled doses of ultraviolet light to stimulate pigment production; and grafting, a short, day surgery where healthy pigment cells are transplanted from the patient’s own skin to affected areas to restore pigmentation.
Collapse Expand
FROM SELF-ACCEPTANCE TO STRENGTH
“Although I accepted that there’s nothing much that I can do about it, having people point it out and constantly give me unsolicited advice still bothered me,” Loo said.
Strangers stared, children whispered about it to their parents, and Loo was told by well-meaning people to eat certain foods – there is no scientific evidence that dietary changes can cure vitiligo.
Even at pharmacies, salespersons would tout their suncare and brightening products as the miracle salve to her chronic skin condition.
“It got to the point where every time I walk into a pharmacy, I would feel so stressed,” Loo said.
Loo’s personal advice for others with vitiligo or who feel targeted for being different: “Speak your own truth and let yourself be heard.” (Photo: Daphne Loo)
To avoid stares, Loo tried her best to conceal her white patches with makeup.
In her late 20s, she also struggled with body image issues and confidence. Some photos she had taken made her feel “fat and ugly”. The 1.55m-tall woman was 70kg at that point.
She began an extreme diet and exercise regimen, losing 19kg over 11 months. But this was so intense that she started losing hair and her period stopped.
It was a wake-up call. Realising that her weight obsession was unhealthy, in 2012, Loo heeded a friend’s advice to try weightlifting to build muscles and get healthier instead.
What surprised her was how good she was at it. “It became addictive. I wanted to push my own limits and find out how much stronger I could get,” she laughed.
Training three to four times a week for two hours each time, Loo did become stronger. Two years later, she took part in the Singapore Powerlifting Open 2014 and won her first gold medal in the women’s category.
Few women at that time competed in powerlifting, which involves squats, bench presses and deadlifts, although this number has grown over the years. There were only a handful of women in that competition, said Loo.
Vitiligo and looking different reshaped her outlook and drew her to powerlifting in 2014, an uncommon sport for women then. (Photo: Aiman Aziz)
Looking back, Loo said if she did not have vitiligo, she might not have gone down this less trodden path. “I think I’d have been a lot vainer and want to be seen as more feminine,” she laughed.
However, powerlifting reshaped her career path. In 2014, Loo left her public relations job, took a two-year career break, and then began working in the fitness industry as a coach in 2016.
Over the next decade, she took part in numerous competitions in Singapore and overseas, winning around 15 to 20 gold, silver and bronze medals, by her own estimation.
She last competed in the Hygieia Masters Powerlifting Meet 2023 – a competition for athletes aged 40 and above – when she turned 40. She placed first in the Women Raw 69 Master 1 category for female athletes up to 69kg in weight and between the ages of 40 to 49.
She achieved 115kg for squats (squatting with a loaded barbell on the back), 60kg for bench press (lowering and pushing a barbell off the chest while lying on a bench) and 132.5kg for deadlift (lifting a barbell from the ground).
STRENGTHENING HER COMMUNITY
Powerlifting helped Loo become more confident and comfortable in her own skin – she has now stopped covering up her vitiligo with makeup before going to work at her gym.
Loo turned 42 this year and says that after a long struggle, she is happy with the life she has built. (Photo: Daphne Loo)
She hopes that by sharing her story, she can raise awareness and help others with vitiligo. Vitiligo is not contagious, she stressed, and she hopes that the public will not shun those with the skin condition.
Sometimes, even stares can have a huge impact on individuals with vitiligo, she added. “Even if these are not malicious, they may make the person feel self-conscious or feel like they should not appear in public or that they should do more to cover up their vitiligo.”
Having struggled with self-image for many years, Loo hopes to help others – not just vitiligo patients – find confidence. In January, Loo bought over Stoic Strength, a strength-training gym, with her husband. She now runs it alone as head coach.
Loo now co-owns and runs a strength training gym, Stoic Strength. (Photo: Annie Tan)
“For a lot of women, the ideal beauty standard is being slim or skinny like a K-pop star. But I think the mindset is slowly shifting.
“Nowadays, a lot of women are okay with having muscle definition and biceps. I would like to help more women who feel boxed in by societal expectations to see that there are different ways to feel confident,” she said.
“A lot of people find that their confidence level increases when they know that they are stronger,” she said. “I want to help people get stronger and feel more confident.”
Having this clarity of vision has been empowering, Loo added.
“This is the first year in a long time where I feel like there are a lot of things that I’m excited about. I don’t dread going to work. I am happy with the life I built. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Continue reading...