Refreshed and Re-Determined
Just returned from a great visit to Ft. Lauderdale and it was hot, humid and beautiful! One thing about having vitiligo is, I have to be careful about being exposed to the sun during peak hours. The pigment that has turned white, if exposed to high rays can burn, blister and can result in Cancer.Our skin is the largest organ on our bodies and is there to serve as some protection from the sun.
SO, if pigment is no longer there, then we are "naked" to the sun and it can be a dangerous road to go down. And of course, I am one of millions of people that love to soak the sun all up. NOT ANYMORE, there are times that I am on pins and needles tip-toeing around trying not to burn and making sure on an average day out running errands that I carry Sol-bar, a leading sun block for people with vitiligo.
Most women carry hand lotion, I carry sun-block 38 and it has lot's of zinc which is a good nutrient for the skin. While adoring my beautiful brown, there our times when I am prepping myself for a eulogy for my brown skin that will one day turn all white (if I decide to expedite it). Part of me looks in the mirror everyday and says to myself, "self you are beautiful brown and you will be a beautiful white cause the core of you is radiant from within" and then my evil twin says "yeah girl no more tropical tans for you, just going to have to be exotic on the inside".
That is a battle for me, anyone can be exotic but for me when I see men and women of color with beautiful skin tones and radiant glows of red, copper and bronze skin, I think...DAMN! I got to get rid of all my bronzers and brown makeup and purchase all new colors and shades of white. Now that is not going to be an easy transition for me, since I have known brown all my life and love the color tones of my pigment. However, this experience is a test to my inner character and opens the doors to new life dimensions.I am refreshing and redetermining that I will make this transition work for me in all good ways and still continue to love my brown.
My show about Vitiligo in Los Angeles
Chef Lauren Von Der Pool guest talking about diet !
Tortured Soul -Live House Music Band-and AWESOME!
Hangin with a few members from Tortured Soul!
AT top of Stone Mountain
GOtta always apply Solbar sunblock #50 to my face/body when I am outside in the sun , otherwise my face will burn and the white spots get real pink and will burn. I have no more pigment on my lips & now have to switchup my darn lipstick colors!! so annoying! lol
Me on top of Stone Mountain
THis is one of my Southern USA oasis. THe hike to the top is beyond amazing!
Sisterfriend and I @ Park 52 Restaurant-Chicago
Not afraid to show my white patches!! gotta be fearless
On Set- Santa Monica, CA
My talk show dedciated to people with Vitiligo
Brave and Beautiful Little One
Vitiligo and Personality!! When I see this little princess, I am so inspired by her ! Pls teach your kids to respect and be kind to those that look different from them, for they are human and are still beautiful inspite of the differences!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Love unconditional-vitiligo or not!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
men are beautiful too with vitiligo!
Anotha beauty from the inside out!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Friends with VIt-Gotta love yourself no matter what and WE DO!!
Chef Luciano out of Chicago who is an Eclectic Chef living with Vitiligo
Pictured on right-He specializes in gourmet fish, Italian dishes and some cajun/caribbean eclectic fusion foods. ....You just have to go there cause Chef Luciano has carved out a culinary style all his own.
White Patches from Vitiligo
These are the white patches that are result of pigment loss
J.D. Runnels NFL Running Back with Vitiligo
I stumbled on J.D. while researching the NET and am working on securing him as a guest blogger and potentially a guest on the show, "Turning WHite In Hollywood". For now it's been hard to track this big young man down cause he was with my hometown CHicago Bears and then when I thought I located him, he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (just signed this year)....and then their offices were closed due to the storm. WHen I called back they said he left the team !! Well damn I know there's got to be an NFL team out there that can keep this talented Brotha for at least 2 years. J.D. must be new to the NFL since he's a young buck. Hope he will tell us his story and experiennces of living with vitiligo as a young athelete.
Lee Thomas-Now Nationally Famous Detroit Entertainment Reporter
My color before i moved to LA
Had to pull out some of these shots from 4 years ago cause I thought it was so interesting that the natural sunrays tanned me and then I began to see white patches spread on my skin gradually years later. Still at a rapid pace. So eventually, I may end up being this color above & whiter. This is so trippy to me. The Headshot shows a very small glimpse of Vitiligo on my fingertips turning white but now if you look at my hands in the large size pic way at the bottom of the page, you will see large patches of white spots!-lol All the pics that you see me in (more at bottom) looking more light skinned are professional photos taken by David Jenkins Photography out of CHicago. That is my natural complexion out of the sun(& living in cold climates like Chicago can make you more pale and lighter) David and I are getting ready to do a major series about Vitiligo. CHeck out his website by clicking the photo above.
My Chicago Friends at the House Music Festival a few years ago
Miisha, Charlie, Ronda, Lisa, Andre, Rochelle and Me
Back When U were 21 years old...LOL
Okay everyone has a fantasy, I bet this was the person's get away mobile who wore the hood, sunglasses and hat in that bank in downtown Santa Barbara-lol :-) getaway girl's price tag is : $14,000 !!
...And On Another Note--Not your Bank Note
Check this sign out, it says, "BEFORE ENTERING THE BANK PLEASE REMOVE YOUR HATS, HOODS, and SUNGLASSES" it was posted at a bank in downtown Santa Barbara. Now who do we know wears hoods, hats, and sunglasses into banks? Grandma bankrobbers, boys in the hood, or hollywood moms with Jackie O black glasses?? So who are they really talking about? This should be an interesting discussion with your banker!!-lol I can't wait till Obama gets sworn in!
Speaking of Fireworks!!-LOL
I must say so myself, I took a cool pic at the Hollywood Bowl this past July4th at the tribute to Liza Minnelli and others.
LOve me some backgammon and Acey-Deucy (that is the opposite of Backgammon)
When playing people the question always arises, "What happened to your hands, is it a burn?" I respond, "Yeah, I am burned with Vitiligo." THen I seriously explain what it is. ANd continue to whip their butt in one of my favorite board games.
Leg attack of Vitiligo-small spots
New spots on leg. If you loook at the bigger white spot it reminds me of a star in the galaxy! LOL
Firework Spots on front of ankle/foot
Yes, if you haven't figured me out by now, I have used my own creative mind as therapy to visualize what else these white spots can look like. All I need is some red, gold, blue .
Ankle spots
My little pinkie toe changing colors. But I still love all colors of toenail polish! -lol
Vitiligo creeps up in many places. Just noticed it on my little toe.
Behind Maia's Ear another WHite Spot
I remember when I first discovered this spot, I was brushing my hair and saw a quick flash of light...only to research deeper to see that the invasion had begun behind my ear--Damnit! but got used to it. :-)
Much closer look at the Vitilgo white spots on the back
What does this look like to you?
Closer look at the Vitiligo on the back
U can see why it takes on it's on art form
This is the 2nd pic of same back with Vitiligo
The next few pics above are going to be of the same back. But if you look closer the pigment change is very interesting.
Vitiligo on person's back
It really amazes me how the cells eat up the pigment and create these patterns
Wardrobe stylist- Mechellet Bickerstaff of Image Consulting Excellence (ICE)
(Click her pic to go to ICE website) The lovely, talented and gracious (very few ladies like Mechellet around). She has been a trooper in working with the show!! Mechellet is the highest example of Sista Power that's stayed and true. This amazing wife, mother of two, wardrobe stylist/consultant, entrepreneur, and hair stylist, is the epitome of a quintessential woman of the 2000's!!!
Maia and Director Steve on set of "Turning White in Hollywood"
I host and produce the show and always have an eye and idea going in my head, it mostly is a one woman crew -Me but I am so appreciative for my friends and family support! Not to mention Lucy Blanco as an advisor. She has been an Angel!
Lucy Blanco and Jerome Malry
Both have very advanced stages of Vitiligo. I find it interesting that they both have a passion for music and have let that passion override their having to deal with this very difficult disease that brings much shock value to those who have never seen a person with it before. I must say they a part of my inspiration to continue to do this show for television!
"Turning White in Hollywood"- the taping at Time Warner Studios
I tell you with my 2nd taping of taking my blog MPS to television,it gets better and better! You see above Jerome Malry and I discussing his color transformation and the sharing of his childhood pics and others to show how Vitiligo spread. We had a wonderful conversation and he is a guest with a great sense of humor and patience. An awesome Pianist and amazing individual. Thank you so much Jerome for being on the show!
E. Jerome Malry- A Classical Pianist who lives with Vitiligo
Jerome is a superb classically trained pianist. He is an amazing musician who openly discussed with me his life with Vitiligo. Jerome noticed his first white spot at the age of 29 and it has now advanced since then. I must thank him again for flying from Chicago admist his hectic schedule to be a guest on "Turning White in Hollywood", (the television version of this Blog) Jerome started playing piano at age 4 because when he started with the Violin, he said he just changed his mine and preferred the piano. He was the first African-American to participate in the prestigious music competition in the world, the International Tchaikovsky Competition of Moskow.
Vitiligo Doesn't Discriminate-You can see the Vitiligo under Mark's eyes.
This is Mark who has Vitiligo and of course since his pigment is white compared to darker pigment, you have to look hard to find the white patches. Interestingly, most people don't realize that even the Europeans from Olive to pale white, still have pigment like people of color, their's is just a much lighter pigment. We are ALL the same color which happens to be white underneathe our various pigment tones! Hmm what would racists have to say about that? I wonder!
"This Film Not Yet Rated" - IT IS A MUST SEE! (click on the pic for info)
I must say this film was Damn daring and incredibly bold, too brave to write and adventureous to make! These Guys --Kirby Dick, Eddie Schmidt & Matt Pattersons, are brilliant and unafraid of going off the obvious path to investigate the Truth of the MPAA's "Big Guns". (Motion Picture Association of America) . While watching the movie, it reminded me of an organic & different version of the Wizard of Oz . I mean that these guys were trying to find out how the MPAA works and who they are the -secret members with all that power. These writers found out and saw that the powers that be seemed to be kind of like the characters of on Oz. Well, at least that's how some may have perceived the MPAA decision makers. Get the movie on DVD and decide for yourself. The movie was like watching reality tv and ammateur stalkers for justice. Your mind will be like a rollercoaster ride when watching this suspenseful/action packed movie. From a totally different perspective of what suspense means to us in "regular" motion pics.
Me, Daddy(we do look alike) and the beautiful Victoria Rowell (Ex-Young and the Restless soap star)
Her daughter is named Maya with a y mine is with an i. Click this pic to learn more about her foundation related to foster children
Looks like deodorant but it's more white spots
This is a common place for vitiligo to form
Just love Landis Cosmetics!
I also use Dermablend and MAC cosmetics for variety
Laughter is always a great remedy!
Landis of Landis Cosmetics making me close to flawless!
At David Jenkins Photography studio in Chicago,preparing for my photo shoot and my dear longtime friend and one of Chicago's best professional make-up artists, Landis was there when I needed him. He and his wife own a wonderful spa, click this picture to go to the link.
Photo by David Jenkins Photography
When I relocated to LA , my complexion was much lighter from living in a city that has 4 seasons! Worked out hard and lost a lot of weight to get the Entertainment Host "Look" , so funny because moving to the West Coast has now increased my brown pigment cells, but as the white spots spread the darker I get the more obvious my Vitiligo! So, all I need is a trainer to get my shape BACK!!! and I might temporarily forget about my color contrast. Personality is always great and I am determined to be the first African/Other-American female Entertainment Host on national television.
Nature's Natural Art Design
I am still relishing in the compliments that my hands are found to beautiful and a art design, now my eyes are wide open and I have to admit complete strangers are giving me another perspective on living with Vitiligo
Mom visiting LA from Chicago!
Leave it to my Go Green Mom to want to stop on Pico and support the Peace mover and shakers!! Apple does not fall far from the tree-LOL
My MAC professional look for Entertainment Television
Love the professionals over at the MAC Store on Robertson in Los Angeles! Thanks Sheron and Mary!
Musical Moment
At friend's house listening to Live music and having a great time!
Vitiligo: Natural- Shoes by Charles David!
Turning white does not mean fashion is dead, it means that having flavor just adds to the art of Vitiligo
This pigment design reminds me of the colors of pecanswirl
Well, I am still wating for Harry Winston to hand dliver my Diamond& Saphire cocktail ring, until then I'll hold on to jewelry by Bohemia!
Common pigment loss on elbows
Vitiligo is common in joint areas
Milk Got?
Instead of the Got Milk? known to be above the upper lip, this is how mine looks below my lip with no make-up
Feet with pigment loss
Vitiligo is common on hands and feet
Lucy B. jazz vocalist
Lucy's guest blog is on here and you can read her comments on living with vitiligo check out her website
Pigment loss on hand
The thumb is losing color faster than the other fingers
About Me
- Maia
- Filled with an abundance of love and have a vivacious personality. Totally enjoy talking to everybody and expanding my life through dialogue or random conversations. Have always lived OUTSIDE THE BOX and am non conforming but flexible. Been living Nichiren Buddhism for 20 years
Chef Luciano with Chicago Photographer Elliot Lite
Chef Luciano (on right) wearing my Grandpa's alma mater sweatshrt! Chef Luciano is a guest hopeful on TWH even though he's in Chicago many celebs dine at his establishment when on tour or filming in the Windy City!
J.D. Runnels-NFL Running Back Living with Vitiligo
Who does he play for now????? Well, if he isn't signed yet then that gives him time to fly to LA and be a guest on my show!! :-) No. but really who does he play for?
Lee Thomas -Entertainment Reporter living with Vitiligo
Purchase his book titled: "Turning White" detailing his life as a Reporter and African-American Male living with Vitiligo. Lee was featured on the news program 20/20 and on CNN with Larry King.
MOre of David Jenkins GReat Shots of me!
....of course I was lighter skinned and lighter in weight!-LOL but I am hangin in there folks!
Sitting In the Directors Chair -Now That feels GOOD! But I really am a Host in Front of the CAMERA
STILL need an AGENT-Every Director has one but seriously my line of work is Entertainment Hosting and if you are an Agent you can email me for consideration of reprensenting me: Maipecanswirl1@yahoo.com
For My Male /ALternative Viewers: Motorcycle Getaway GIrl the side view
I just thought it was a cool and it bit racey (pun intendend) -lol piece of art and saw this sculpture in downtown Santa Barbara, CA art gallery price tag: $14,000.00
Shoe by Puma (I love their products!)
New white spot on my ankle. Just adding this pic, Iook at it and think of what suprise spots I will wake up to tomorrow morning.
Vitiligo on a person's back
Interesting pattern of white spots and pigment loss here
Blog to Television- Lucy chats with Jerome about music and vitiligo
My piioneer guest of "Turning White in Hollywood", chat on set of the second taping of the show. Lucy is a jazz singer and Jerome a Classical Pianist (he's no joke!!!) Maybe these two can fuse their musical talents one day. Now that would be a cd worth waiting for!
Classical Pianist, Mr. Jerome E. Malry
Another wonderful person living with Vitiligo. Jerome is brave and happy to share his experiences. I look forward to him being a guest blogger on MPS.
Lucy Blanco is another talented artist Living with Vitiligo
Thank you so much Lucy for your support and we will be looking forward to hearing your new CD in 2009.
LA's Finest Ok, OK already! :-) LA's Finest Firefighter and Legal Escort-lol
This awards event was so beautiful as it honored one of history's most gentle, intelligent and unselfish women on the Globe- Dr. Jane Goodall. The keeper of Chimpanzees and ensuring their right to their natural habitats.,
My Dad's traditional meal from Dominica in the West Indies
My cousin hooked up this dish (rice& peas) fish, veggies, fresh fresh avocado with fresh lime sauce, and this corn looking stuff-LOL
Lucy Blanco -Latin Jazz Vocalist
If you watched the first taping of the television version of Maipecanswirl, you were able to hear Lucy's story of growing up with Vitiligo as a child. This Honduran by way of West Africa by way of Brooklyn singer has been dealing with losing her pigment over 30 years. Lucy's advancement of the skin pigment loss is on evident on her arms and hands. SHe tells me that I may not see that quick of an advancement myself until I am in my 50's or early 60's since I've only had it for 10 years.
Me, Herbie, Mom, Chef Kerri Simon (he's from Evanston, IL) and Djuna
@ Simon LA inside the Sofitel Hotel in Beverly Hills-that was one of those dinners that will remain a Platinum memory!
Changing color tones was not that noticeable a few years back-Xcept on my fingertips and hands
Weaves are wonderful!! (when applied correctly-LOL)
Celebrating Life of Rico Antonio Cymone at Buddhist Memorial- Dahanna, Mylika (awesome actor) Ms. K
Here U can see my white spots on my arm and hands, sometimes I think it's a distraction and other times don't think about it. ...Rico passed in May 2008 of colon cancer at age 48. I hope the men out there get your prostate and colon checked out, regardless of how healthy U think you are..
Love Life ! Harships and Victories combined!
Sure am trying to get this body back!! :-)
Photo from my shoot with Chicago Photographer David Jenkins
It seems so strange to me that now I am darker than when I took this picture but that as my skin lightens it is becoming lighter than what this picture is now!
The Completion of adding the color brown to my hands, nice and smooth- I do miss my color
So this application took about 1 hour and two people worked on me so I could make me television taping on time, and I did not wash my hands until we wrapped the taping. I also don't shake people's hands just give them a light fist pound so I don't appear rude.
Hands Before & After professional application
It is amazing how I can see my hands brown again, I must admit that different make-up artists have applied different shades of brown. This picture shows that they came very close and it's nice to see the uninterruption of that Vitiligo has on my skin
Transforming my white spots back to brown
This is usually how it goes when I am having a professional make-up artist bring me back to brown for my on-camera work. MAC artists and the fabulous Independent artist, Pam Farmer (her clients have been Sylvester Stallone, the Cast of Girlfriends and the CEO of BET -Ms. Lee)
Oprah and Gail let's do lunch in our spot off the coast of Spain ! :-)
This is the color I will advance to and then the Vitiligo will go lighter to white
Chicago Photo Shoot
Me in Cabo san JOse with some friends
I love to travel and had to find some cool shade with some of my favorite animals, I rode all day and boy were my legs and thighs FIRM!
Pigment Loss on inner forearms
It really spreads wherever it wants, I never know what white spot is going to appear next
Vitiligo on Feet
Vitiligo by Mother Nature..Shoes By Charles David
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