CEO reveals struggle with vitiligo, says he was worried how people would react to his photo

Vitiligo is a permanent condition that causes white patches to appear on the skin. (Image credit: Thushara Karunaratne/LinkedIn)

A Sri Lankan CEO recently took to social media to speak about his struggle with vitiligo -- a condition that causes white patches to appear on the skin.

In a LinkedIn post from earlier this week, Thushara Karunaratne, the top-ranking executive of diagnostics company Sui Generis, said he had been wanting to change his profile picture for a long time but was unsure about how the world would react to it.

“Since I'm becoming dichromatic due to vitiligo, I wasn't too sure how to do it, whether my contacts would be comfortable,” Karunaratne wrote. I haven't travelled outside the country and very less meetings locally too. In case we bump in to each other, just wanted let you know... same self, lives inside.”

Vitiligo, a condition that has affected celebrities like pop icon Michael Jackson, is permanent. Also, there is no way to predict how the condition will progress.

Karunaratne’s social media followers lauded him for sharing his experience with vitiligo with the world.

“Vulnerability is not a weakness but a sign of strength and incredible courage,” LinkedIn user Danijela Milić said. "I see you and applaud your growth and your reaching a point where you are okay with being vulnerable with others and sharing what some may see as imperfections. Hope you realize that everyone goes through tough times and you are not alone, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Another person wrote: “Your profile picture will bring many out of depression due to vitiligo. Be bold and we expect you to be an influencer in such social media forums. I am praying for you brother.”