By Rebecca Chitolie
**WITH FULL PERMISSIONS**
THIS WOMAN’s vitiligo covers sixty percent of her body but two recent strokes have mysteriously led to her body RE–PIGMENTING itself.
Iomikoe Johnson (43) from Baytown, Texas suffers from a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or colour.
Iomikoe has had vitiligo for over 18 years, since the age of 25, but luckily she embraced her look, became a model and travelled the world.
She developed a love for her skin and difference while being immersed in the world of modelling, with fans calling her the, “Vitiligo Goddess”.
However, recently Iomikoe had two strokes, the first was in March 2020 when she woke up and got out of bed, and the second was in September 2023 when she was walking and collapsed. She had multiple tests which showed she was suffering from a blood clotting disorder.
However, a change that has baffled medics has occurred since the strokes; she has witnessed the return of some of her skin pigmentation on her face, and a significant change on her nose and forehead.
Iomikoe believes that the re-pigmentation is possibly due to the combination of seven medications she is taking for her strokes, she will need to take this medication for the rest of her life to stop her having a stroke and only time will tell as to whether this will result in her becoming totally brown-skinned once again.
She has not spoken to medics about this but the changes are stark.
Iomikoe described the moments where she had two strokes that left her unable to walk or talk.
“One day I woke up and my speech was slurred and my vision was very blurry. I told my husband I wasn’t feeling well and that I think I needed to go to the hospital. He took me to the hospital, and they discovered that I had a stroke”, said Iomikoe.
“I didn’t know I was having a stroke. I literally fell over, and I had two strokes. The first one was out of my sleep as I woke up, and the second one I completely fell over and lost consciousness.
“They ran all kinds of tests and discovered I have a blood clotting disorder which caused my blood clot, which caused me to have a stroke.
“This meant I was unable to walk, I was unable to talk and I lost all my motor skills. I also had to go through physical therapy to regain my strength and functions back. I went through six weeks of physical therapy.”
Iomikoe said that her stroke still affects her today, and since the stroke, some of her pigmentation has returned.
“It still affects my speech and it affects my brain, plus my motor skills are not completely back to normal”, said Iomikoe.
“Actually, some of my pigmentation has returned. I guess it’s due to the medication that I’m on.
“I was shocked when I saw the repigmentation on my nose.
“If all my pigmentation came back it wouldn’t bother me but I’ve lived with Vitiligo for over 20 years and it would be confusing to my family. But as it’s me either way, I’m still beautiful so it wouldn’t bother me.
“Medics haven’t clarified why this has happened and I still am unaware.
“I went through physical therapy and I’m currently taking multiple medications so that I don’t ever ever have another stroke again.”
Iomikoe described the moment she discovered she had vitiligo when she was 25 years old.
“One day I woke up. I had a spot underneath my eye, and the spot underneath my arm. I went to see my primary healthcare physician who recommended me to a dermatologist, and then I was diagnosed with vitiligo following that visit, said Iomikoe.
“At the time I thought I had skin cancer, I was terrified.”
Iomikoe explained how modelling has helped her accept and celebrate her difference.
“I don’t listen to comments online about me because I know who I am, and I feel like sometimes people are ignorant,” she said.
“Modelling has shaped my view of vitiligo because it has shown me that I am beautiful in my own right, that it is OK to be different and I don’t need anyone else’s approval to define my beauty.
“Vitiligo has opened lots of doors for me to model, it has taken me overseas. It has allowed me to be able to shoot the most amazing commercials. It has allowed me to show people that you are not fine by what people call you, but what you answer to.
“I absolutely love my skin condition. I am beautiful and unique in my own way, and I really don’t care what people think. I’m owning who I am and living life my way.”
ENDS
