This Dentist with Vitiligo Learned to Accept Her Skin—and Found New Passions
Jennifer Reyes once spent a lot of time trying to disguise and “fix” her vitiligo. From large statement necklaces she hoped would draw attention away from depigmented spots on her chest to time-consuming trips to the dermatologist for UV treatments, she was willing to go to great lengths to avoid uncomfortable stares and unwanted comments caused by her skin. Eventually, though, she’d had enough of this routine. Tired of spending time and energy applying makeup that would often just rub off on clothing, or sacrificing hanging out with friends for light therapy appointments, Jennifer came to a place of accepting her vitiligo.
With that acceptance, Jennifer found space in her life for other pursuits. She works full-time as a general dentist and has a full life of enjoying her dog, London, and the city of New York; and she loves playing the violin and taking in symphonies, operas and musicals. And she recently discovered a new passion: baking. Inspired by a food magazine subscription she was gifted, Jennifer began baking recipes from the hit show “The Great British Bake-Off.” This eventually led to her auditioning for and competing on the American spin-off show, where the vitiligo she once spent hours trying to hide was on full display for viewers around the world.
Representing vitiligo publicly means a lot to Jennifer: “I think had I, as a child, seen more people who looked like me, I would have had a bit more confidence and I think other children would have maybe been more accepting,” she said. We spoke with Jennifer about growing up as a twin with vitiligo (yes, her twin lives with vitiligo too), the journey to embracing her changing skin, and what it was like competing on “The Great American Baking Show.” Here’s her story.
Name: Jennifer Reyes
Age: 46
Hometown: New York City
Years with Vitiligo: 20+
LD: To get started, tell us a little about yourself.
JR: I am a general dentist, and aside from baking, I enjoy playing the violin, doing escape rooms, and walking around the city with my dog. I also am a fan of the theater; I prefer musicals but am happy to see any show. And I also like going to the symphony and opera. The arts are very important to me.
LD: When did you first get vitiligo?
JR: I first remember seeing some areas of depigmentation either my junior or senior year in high school. I don’t think I knew it was vitiligo until I was in college.
LD: How has vitiligo impacted your life, and how does it impact you today?
JR: Currently, my vitiligo is on almost half my body. When I was younger, I found it very difficult. All I could think was “no one else has this,” just my twin sister and me. And while I don’t think that anyone was trying to be mean, I certainly received comments that were devastating. I would have the occasional person tell me that if I accepted Jesus into my heart, my skin would look better. Or tell me that it’s such a shame my skin looked the way it did because I’d be attractive otherwise.
Can you imagine random strangers on the street going out of their way to tell me this? All this takes a toll on someone, especially when you are young. If I didn’t get asked out, I just assumed it was because of my skin. If someone was looking in my direction, I would automatically assume it was because they were looking at my skin. My vitiligo was most prominent on my chest (it still is), and I began to wear large necklaces, which in retrospect, probably just drew more attention to my vitiligo rather than detract from it, which is what I wanted at the time. I bought special makeup to try and conceal my patches of depigmentation, which frankly was exhausting (I never wore makeup and still don’t) and it got all over my clothes.
And I would use a topical steroid cream and do UV light therapy to help re-pigment my skin two or three times a week. And while I found the light and steroid to be effective, after a few months, it became very time-consuming. I would skip running in the park in the morning to go to the dermatologist, or decline hanging out with friends to accommodate an after work appointment. Over time, I just embraced my skin. There are still times when I get self-conscious, but not nearly as many.
LD: You recently competed on Roku’s “Great American Baking Show.” Tell us how your love of baking started, and what it was like to compete with other amateur bakers in that iconic white tent.
JR: I first started baking out of necessity. After graduating college and moving into my first apartment, I didn’t know how to cook. If I’m being honest, I still really can’t! My mother got me a subscription to Bon Appetit magazine and I started skimming through recipes to see which ones looked good and doable. I started to realize that the ones I’d torn out or dog-eared were all things like cakes and cookies! I usually did fairly simple things, like a single layer cake or a pie and cookies. A few years ago, my friend got me hooked on the “Great British Baking Show,” and I started to think, I wonder if I could bake what these guys do. And so I started to do just that— try to bake along with the show and do the same challenges that they did. And then I learned that there was an American version and began watching that show. When I saw that they were accepting applications to audition, I did!
Baking in the iconic white tent was surreal. I couldn’t believe I was there and sometimes still can’t! It was just the best time, baking with other amateur bakers from across the country and having fun sharing our hobby with the rest of the world! While the first day I was very nervous, I quickly felt more comfortable and recognized that this was better than baking alone in my kitchen. The oven was nicer, I had more counter space than I do at home, and someone else washed the dishes!
LD: The show seems to foster a very positive environment and a sense of camaraderie, even though it’s a competition. What was a favorite moment you experienced during your time on The Great American Baking Show?
JR: Oh my gosh, there were so many amazing moments just hanging out with the other bakers and the crew that, of course, were not in the show. But I think my favorite moment was in Bread Week. The first day of that episode/week was filmed on my birthday and at one point, Casey and Zach brought out a cupcake for me, and the entire tent sang “Happy Birthday” to me. That was just such a memorable moment, and I’ll never forget it! And (spoiler alert!) the next day I was named Star Baker. To be Star Baker during bread week and on my birthday—I will never forget that feeling. I don’t know how future birthdays will compare!
LD: What did it mean to you to represent vitiligo on such a well-known platform as the baking show?
JR: As a woman with vitiligo, it really meant the world to me to be in this show. I’m also especially happy that this is famously a friendly competition show. Growing up, I don’t think vitiligo was as well-known as it is today. I think it is well-established that inclusion, visibility and representation matter. First and foremost, it is important to see someone who looks like you represented in television and other media. Seeing someone who looks like you really helps anyone in the minority feel like they are just like everyone else and they belong. When you are perceived as different or “other,” it can be easy to withdraw or to feel like your opinions—and even you yourself—don’t matter.
I also think that this [greater visibility for vitiligo] helps everyone who perhaps does not know anyone with vitiligo understand that we’re normal people who happen to have more unique skin than most. And maybe it might motivate them to find out more about vitiligo. I truly believe that normalizing and embracing differences helps to create a more tolerant, understanding and stronger society.
I think it is great that nowadays there are supermodels and even Barbie dolls who have vitiligo. I even follow a dog who has vitiligo on Instagram. I hope a young person with vitiligo will watch my appearance on the show and think, “Not only can I be on TV, but I can be a dentist and an entrepreneur, too.” Really, why set limits? Winnie Harlow once asked, “Why is there stigma around being different when we’re all different?” And what a perfect question to ask.
LD: What advice do you have for other women with vitiligo?
JR: Embrace what makes you different! And wear sunscreen. I don’t typically sunburn easily, but those areas of depigmentation certainly can quickly get red and painful!
