Dear Reader,

For those readers who don't know, vitiligo is a rather common skin condition affecting about 1 percent of the world's population. Vitiligo is marked by the loss of skin pigment, leaving patches or whole areas of the body completely white. It affects both sexes and people of all races and all ages. The white patches of skin are caused by the loss of cells that produce melanin (melanocytes), which is responsible for providing skin pigment. Why those melanocytes disappear, though, has not yet been determined.

It isn't clear from your question if the women you are with say something about your penis, or if you, yourself, are worried about what they may be thinking. If you find yourself in an intimate situation with someone and notice that she's looking quizzically down below, you might want to take a second to explain what vitiligo is. As common as it may be, most people don't know much about it or even what it's called. A brief explanation suffices, especially if you have other patches of white skin elsewhere on your body. This will probably help dissipate any anxiety that your vitiligo is some condition affecting only your penis.

Learning to appreciate and value your unique trademark can help you feel more at ease with your condition. Plus, the more comfortable you are with your own body, the more comfortable your partners will be.

Some people with vitiligo, however, choose to cover up the patches of non-pigmented skin that show outside of their clothes by using cosmetics or self-tanning lotions. Self-tanning lotions don't need melanocytes, unlike getting a tan from the sun or tanning beds, so they can temporarily color the white patches of skin. It is not safe or healthy to put self-tanning lotions on your genitals, and you probably won't want to cover your penis with cosmetics that would rub off onto your underwear or other clothing anyway.

Your best bet is to simply acknowledge that your penis looks different from others that your partner might have seen before and then to move on. Most likely, your girlfriend will move forward with you and no longer notice the color of your penis. Especially after the lights go out.

Alice

Related Q&As

Crook in penis puts crimp in sex life