“I faced insults for my looks but never gave up”: Kerala vlogger

Growing up hearing taunts “Are You a Ghost”, “Spotted Deer” because of black spots on her face was not easy for 24-year-old Bismitha M from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. But she wasn’t ready to let these insults define her life. Defying the conventional norms of beauty, she took up vlogging, putting across a strong message that looks don’t matter if one has the real grit and determination to chase the dream.

Bismitha, who hails from Karamana in Thiruvananthapuram, had to face a lot of enduring stares, comments, and even strong bullying from people who couldn’t understand her rare genetic skin condition.

“My skin started showing visible changes within two months of birth. Like my mother Majitha, 47, my skin also developed black spots. It’s a rare genetic skin condition that’s been passed on to generations right from my grandmother Nazeema. My 5-year-old son also has it now. There is currently no treatment for this genetic skin condition. It is often confused with vitiligo, but it is different. Except for the dark spots, our skin is normal, and we do not have any other skin irritation,” Bismitha told “Open Digest“.

Bismitha, who did her studies up to Plus Two, was not ready to give up her dream of becoming a vlogger. She decided not to allow her skin condition to stand in her way. In 2019, she started making TikTok videos, and following the ban on TikTok in India, she started creating Instagram reels. In 2021, she started her YouTube channel, “Bismi’s Vlog”.

“People still taunt me for my looks. I face a lot of comments every single day. However, I will not give up doing what I truly love. I don’t live by others’ opinions. I am fully aware of my skin condition, and I will not allow others to define my life,” she said.

Bismitha says that her true strength is her family, which strongly supports her. Her husband, Sanu N, 30, is an autorickshaw driver in Thiruvananthapuram city. “I know that my five-year-old son will also have to face the same issues I faced in my life due to the skin condition. But I am teaching him how to withstand the taunts and comments,” Bismitha added.