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Tiffanie Foster is a passionate advocate for self-love and confidence. Living with nonsegmental vitiligo since age 7, she has turned what makes her different into her superpower. As the founder of the “I Am Great” movement, Tiffanie inspires others to embrace their uniqueness, own their story, and boldly declare their worth. Her message is simple: you are powerful, you are enough, and you are great.
Tiffanie Foster shares how patience, routine, and hope helped her see vitiligo treatment results over time.
00:00:00:03 - 00:00:12:12
Tiffanie Foster
I didn't know what treatment would look like for me. Was it going to work? Was I going to be excited about this new look? I was so nervous, but I just did it scared.
00:00:12:14 - 00:00:36:23
Tiffanie Foster
When I went in to seek treatment, my dermatologist asked me, “How long did I have vitiligo? Have you ever tried treatment before, and are you willing to create a routine to see if this treatment would work?” I told him, “Hey, I haven't been to the dermatologist since I was 7.” They had all kind of creams when I was younger, and I tried them so much, and it didn't work.
00:00:36:24 - 00:00:58:13
Tiffanie Foster
I lost hope and he said, “Hey, go ahead and try this one. Create that routine. Do it twice a day, but just know that it will not happen overnight.” I chose to do it morning and night, and I applied the treatment and after a while, I started to see results. What I chose to repigment was my face.
00:00:58:13 - 00:01:23:01
Tiffanie Foster
Because what's the first thing that people see? Your face. I noticed freckles. Freckles begin on my upper lip, and then as I stay consistent with the routine that I created for my treatment, little white spots all over my eyes, it started to repigment. I'm having a little struggle with the repigmentation underneath my chin. It's just certain spots work and certain spots don't.
00:01:23:03 - 00:01:44:23
Tiffanie Foster
It's not like the microwave when you put popcorn in and it happens instantly. This is a Crock-Pot type of situation. So it's going to it's going to be slow. I had to understand those things like, “Hey Tiff, it's OK. You might not see results right now, but it's working. Trust the process. Be patient. Be kind to yourself.”
00:01:45:01 - 00:01:58:14
Tiffanie Foster
Stay positive. Just understand that it will not happen overnight. But when it happens, wow. You're going to be left speechless. Learn more and connect at MyVitiligoTeam.com.
Tiffanie Foster shares how exploring vitiligo treatment opened new possibilities and why asking questions can help you feel more confident.
00:00:00:02 - 00:00:15:12
Tiffanie Foster
I've been living with nonsegmental vitiligo for 30 years. And so finally, at that 30-year mark, I was like, I might have a chance to see what I actually look like.
00:00:15:14 - 00:00:34:21
Tiffanie Foster
I was actually watching television with my grandmother one day, and a commercial came on for a treatment. My grandmother looked at me, and was like, “Hey, you know, you got a choice now.” I was like, OK, you know what? I might do this. And my dermatologist gave me a sample. And do you know that I held onto that sample for like two to three weeks
00:00:34:21 - 00:00:55:15
Tiffanie Foster
because I was really kind of nervous. It was, like, almost too good to be true. A lot of times dermatologists feel like if you don't ask, then they're not going to tell you because you look confident. Trust me, I've experienced some of those things. I would just ask them, “Hey, is there a treatment available?” Just start as simple as that.
00:00:55:16 - 00:01:21:13
Tiffanie Foster
You don't have to go in with a long book of notes. Just allow the dermatologist to educate you on what to expect, and then go from there and allow your questions to come. “Hey, is it safe?” “Is this going to do anything to my physical appearance that I won't be comfortable with?” All of those questions, they’re so important. When it starts to work and when you're starting to do treatment,
00:01:21:14 - 00:01:45:15
Tiffanie Foster
it's so much unknown in this whole thing. So I understand when people get nervous because you're so used to what you look like, and now you have a choice to control where you would like to repigment. And that, that right there alone gets a lot. So if you're going to schedule that appointment, you got to know that there's going to be a change that'll happen.
00:01:45:16 - 00:02:02:16
Tiffanie Foster
Don't be discouraged. Be excited. Encourage yourself. Let you know that you're great. And if this works or if it does not, you, you're still amazing. Learn more and connect at MyVitiligoTeam.com.
Tiffanie Foster shares her vitiligo journey, from bullying and hiding to self-love, support, and confidence in her skin.
00:00:00:03 - 00:00:21:04
Tiffanie Foster
I was 7. I just wanted to go play with my friends, have a good time. But, you know, it’s all fun and games until it hits your face. I remember it like it was yesterday. My mother and grandmother and I, we all just went to the dermatologist because I didn't understand why white spots were appearing on my fingertips out of nowhere.
00:00:21:05 - 00:00:46:12
Tiffanie Foster
What we thought it could have been was that I just took too many showers, and I wiped off my skin. Vitiligo reaching your face will change your life. I got bullied. I got talked about. Stares all the time. I didn't have the highest self-esteem. We really tried treatment, and when that did not work, that's when we decided to do makeup.
00:00:46:14 - 00:01:04:09
Tiffanie Foster
Just to cover up who I was, to do other people a favor, because I didn’t want people to be so afraid of me. I used makeup from my fifth grade year, which was 10 years old, all the way up until my senior year in high school. And then finally, I took that makeup off and I said, “You know what?
00:01:04:09 - 00:01:28:20
Tiffanie Foster
I love myself no matter what, no matter what people think about me, no matter what they say about me, I love the skin that I'm in.” And so, my vitiligo journey begin to change. My support system was my family. I have a very big family, and a very strong family, and they always made me feel normal, always reassured me, always told me that I was beautiful.
00:01:29:01 - 00:01:54:00
Tiffanie Foster
When you start to say, “I am great. I am beautiful. I am smart.” That’s when your life just goes to the next level. Affirmations, say it to yourself every day, even when you don’t feel like it. Affirmations, support systems, journaling, therapy, all of those things will allow you to gain strength, but you have to be willing to do it.
00:01:54:01 - 00:02:18:02
Tiffanie Foster
I thought I was going to lose the vitiligo community because I was someone who was so bent on not trying treatment. Just love the skin you’re in. I started to get feedback. People inboxing me, texting me. In-person, coming up to me saying, “Wow, this is amazing.” I just really wanted to show, like, you have a choice. If you would like to do it, do it.
00:02:18:02 - 00:02:26:01
Tiffanie Foster
But if you don’t, that’s OK. You’re still amazing! Learn more and connect at MyVitiligoTeam.com.
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