DermLetter.
  • Skin Care & Beauty
  • Skin Conditions
  • Science
  • Trends & Lifestyle
  • Product Reviews
Subscribe
DermLetter.
DermLetter.
  • Skin Care & Beauty
  • Skin Conditions
  • Science
  • Trends & Lifestyle
  • Product Reviews
  • Skin Conditions

What is Vitiligo?

  • April 3, 2020
  • 97 views
Vitiligo
Vitiligo
Total
25
Shares
25
0
0

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that destroys the pigment cells in the skin and affects 1-3% of the population. While it is not a dangerous or painful condition, it can have a serious impact on patients since it is a visible condition. The affected areas of the skin turn white, as the pigment becomes lost, and this can be disturbing for many patients.

Vitiligo Basics

Vitiligo is a disease that causes the loss of skin color and affects up to 2% of people worldwide.1 The color loss usually forms in patches and can vary in pattern, and in some cases, can be progressive, eventually affecting the entire body. Vitiligo can start at any age, but it often starts before the age of 20.

The most visible and obvious sign of vitiligo is the loss of color of the skin, which contrasts with the surrounding skin. Vitiligo can also affect the hair and the inside of the mouth. There are three general patterns of vitiligo:

  1. Affecting small areas of the body
  2. Affecting all areas of the body
  3. Affecting one side of the body

Vitiligo is most noticeable in those with dark skin due to contrast with the unaffected skin, but vitiligo can affect anyone.

The immediate cause of the loss of color is the destruction of melanocytes, which produce melanin (color pigment). Similar to many skin diseases, we don’t know the precise mechanisms, but the major factors that are involved include:

  • Autoimmunity – The body attacks its melanocyte cells
  • Genetics – Family history
  • Triggers – Stress, sunburn, exposure to certain substances

Quality of Life

Vitiligo is not an infectious disease, and it does not cause itch or pain. It has no other significant health impacts, except for a small increase in susceptibility to other skin diseases. Vitiligo is primarily a cosmetic concern, but like many skin conditions, it can significantly impact the patient’s quality of life. Visible skin conditions can lead to considerable social stigma and discrimination, loss of self-confidence, and body image issues, affecting a person’s social life or even employment prospects.

In particular, vitiligo impacts people with darker skin tones more significantly due to the contrast with unaffected skin those with genital area involvement.2 Women also tend to have worse outcomes. The larger extent of vitiligo (VASI), facial involvement, or upper extremity involvement are correlated to a worse quality of life. Facial or involvement on the hands has the greatest negative impact on the quality of life due to its visibility. Finally, in some cultures, vitiligo has been attributed to “divine punishment” or “white leprosy.” These superstitions have always followed visible skin conditions and frequently exacerbate social stigma in communities where these beliefs are prevalent.3

Treatment and Lifestyle

There is currently no cure for vitiligo. There isn’t a treatment that can reliably prevent or reverse the loss of pigment cells. Generally, these treatments focus on reducing inflammation or influence immune response if the affected area is small. Light therapies like PUVA may be used as well. Overall, the prognosis for treatments that seek to reverse the effects of vitiligo is poor. Another more aggressive approach is to camouflage the skin affected by vitiligo to darken it or depigment the surrounding skin to better match the patches of vitiligo. Medical tattoos and grafting of skin are also possibilities as well for some cases.

Sun protection is crucial for people with vitiligo. First, skin darkened by a tan contrasts with the vitiligo-affected areas more, making the condition more visible. More importantly, sunburns or any injury can worsen vitiligo or even start new vitiligo areas that were previously unaffected. Avoiding injuries, in general, is also important for the same reason. Called the Koebner phenomenon, vitiligo may start at a site of injury, and for this reason, tattoos are also not recommended.4


1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4897932/
2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28456327
3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4897932/
4https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1755-148X.2011.00838.x

Total
25
Shares
Share 25
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • skin condition
  • vitiligo
Previous Article
washing hands with water running and soap suds
  • Science

COVID-19: How to Stay Healthy and Safe

  • April 3, 2020
View Post
Next Article
Subtle early Actinic Keratosis. Some of these cannot be seen but the skin feels rough to the touch
  • Skin Conditions

Actinic Keratosis FAQ

  • April 3, 2020
View Post
Most Popular
  • reflection of woman applying makeup
    Is Beautypedia Legit?
  • Post-Inflammatory Erythema
    Post-Inflammatory Erythema
  • non-comedogenic image
    What does non-comedogenic mean?
  • Do Asians Age Differently?
  • Sunspots
Recent Posts
  • The Value of Sunscreen in Skincare

    View Post
  • woman covering lower face with long hair

    Questions About Melasma and Treatment

    View Post
  • Anti-Aging Checklist

    View Post
  • Beauty Products: Online vs. In-Store

    View Post
  • Eczema & COVID-19 Q&A

    View Post
Our YouTube Channel
https://youtu.be/faKj2X-l4F4

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

DermLetter.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Skin Care Newsletter

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Go to mobile version