Model Winnie Harlow says she wishes there had been more information about vitiligo back when she was growing up.

“The ability to share knowledge is really powerful for me,” Harlow, who was diagnosed at age four, told People in a recent interview. She expressed relief that now there are “options and choices” for those living with the autoimmune condition that causes loss of skin pigment in patches.

The model, 31, is also teaming up with pharmaceutical company Incyte to launch ThisIsVitiligo.com, a site offering resources and support for those with vitiligo/

“Regardless of having vitiligo, kids deal with bullying all the time,” she added. “And so being able to have those safe places, be it your friends, your family, and being able to be yourself, is really pivotal to shaping a strong, confident child.”

Harlow hopes her openness can help others feel confident in their skin. “I really love that through my career I’ve been able to just be myself, and through being myself, it allows other people to feel comfortable being themselves,” she said.

She also reflected on her modeling career as a trailblazer for representation.

“When it came to modeling, I feel like every opportunity that I was able to accomplish felt so much more powerful because it was trailblazing. It was a door that hadn’t been opened before, and so it made everything feel so much more rewarding,” she continued. 

“To be able to be that person for others is a gift, because I didn’t have that growing up.”

Looking ahead, the Simply Winnie author wants vitiligo to be normalised so it no longer defines a person’s story.