SONYA DANITA CHARLES is not just another model with a social media page, but one that uses the platform to redefine what beauty actually means and shares her real struggles, insecurities and challenges.
Sonya has a skin condition called vitiligo, which is caused by a lack of pigments called melanin, leading to the skin losing its colour.
This often draws stares, curiosity and sometimes, even negative comments from random strangers, but the bold 30-year-old, who walks out with her vitiligo patches visible, takes it all in stride.
Truly a role model, Sonya has not only embraced vitiligo but has never let her condition hold her back from achieving success in life. According to Sonya, vitiligo is a condition where the skin loses its pigmentation because the immune system attacks melanin skin cells (melanocytes), assuming it is a virus.
Patches on the skin vary and look different in every individual. To date, about 1% of the world population has vitiligo.
