Leo from Yerseke suddenly got white spots on his skin: 'People often think it is contagious'

YERSEKE – Leo Pekaar (68) from Yerseke is the model on the postcards of interest group Vitiligo.nl. In this way he draws attention to the skin condition of the same name during this World Vitiligo Day.

Koen Florusse Jun 24 2019 

Vitiligo is a condition in which the pigment in the skin cells disappears. This causes stains. According to the interest group Vitiligo.nl, an estimated 240,000 people have the skin condition. That is two percent of the Dutch.

Leo Pekaar has the skin condition vitiligo. © Marcelle Davidse

There is nothing visible on Leo Pekaar's face. The spots are clearly visible on the rest of his body. Six years ago he noticed the symptoms of vitiligo emerging. A birthmark on his arm developed into white spots after a medical procedure. It arose during a stressful period at work for him. "It's a kind of volcano. It is within you, but it has to be sparked by something,” he says. “Once that happens, the spots spread across your body.” It is impossible to say whether the procedure or work stress caused the volcano to erupt. The cause is unclear.

A year after the discovery, he started UVB light treatments, one of the methods to inhibit the spread of spots. That turned out to be in vain. “It just didn't work,” he says. The spots kept spreading. After six months the treatment had already finished. Nothing can be done about it.

Blue hair

Pekaar can barely walk across the street in short sleeves or shorts without being looked at. That was quite difficult at first. “I also look when I see someone with blue hair,” he says, “but I had to learn to live with that. You really have to get used to the idea that you are being watched.”

Due to vitiligo, Pekaar is extra sensitive to sunlight. The danger of burning is always lurking. Even with clothes on. “I just burn through my shirt if I don't apply sunscreen.” The Yerseken resident loves the sun and can often be found on the water as a sailor. Extra protection is then necessary. He then crawls under a parasol or applies extra sunscreen.

By coincidence he became a director of the interest group Vitiligo.nl. He stood out during a photo shoot on the members day. “You had to take off your clothes for that,” he laughs. “No one wanted that. I have no problem with that. I took off my clothes and stood there in my underwear. Then others did it too. The board members saw that I could handle it well and asked me to join the board.” His goal is clear: to raise awareness of vitiligo. Also among the Zeelanders. According to Pekaar, this is desperately needed. “I often have to explain what it is or answer questions about whether it is contagious,” he says. Pekaar remains positive. "According to the doctor, I can live to be 100, that's the most important thing."