Vitiligo is a long term disease which causes large white skin patches. These patches can occur in any part of the skin. Usually, you may have white spots on face or other body parts exposed to sunlight. People affected by Vitiligo usually have little or no melanocytes which contain the skin pigmentation that produces skin color, melanin.
Who is affected?
Vitiligo is not transmittable thus you cannot get it from another person. It affects about two percent of the population. It is not age, gender or ace discriminative. However, it is more noticeable in people of darker or tanned skin. It develops early in life and 95% of those affected develop the disease before they get to forty years old. Symptoms of the disease vary from individual to individual. In some people, it does not go beyond a few white spots on face and other body areas. However, in others it involves the appearance of white patches almost in every body part.
Vitiligo runs in the family thus those coming from a family with a history of Vitiligo and premature graying of the hair are at a higher risk of developing the condition. Other people likely to be affected are those with autoimmune disorders. Both men and women face equal risk for the occurrence of white patches on skin.
Causes
Vitiligo is as a result of the destruction of melanocytes. The exact cause of the destruction is not known however, several factors are the likely cause. First, it is possible that an autoimmune disorder could result in the body’s immune system destroying these cells. Another possible cause is harm to the skin either due to severe sunburn or cut. Other likely causes of white skin patches include neural disorders, viral causes and exposure to chemicals that can damage the skin.
Signs and symptoms of Vitiligo
Vitiligo develops gradually. It does not have symptoms unique to it alone thus you can only rely on signs. This is usually the occurrence of small white spots on the sections of the skin. These small spots later grow in diameter and as further pigmentation is lost become large white patches on skin. The growth of these white patches cannot be predicted as to how fast and how far it will spread. Vitiligo could occur in either of its two types; Segmental vitiligo or non segmental vitiligo.
Segmental vitiligo usually tends to affect one side of the body and spreads more rapidly. It is however, the rare form of the two affected about ten percent of the people diagnosed with vitiligo. It is more stable but the white spots are non symmetrical. Its less erratic nature makes it more responsive to topical treatment.
Non segmental vitiligo is the more common form of vitiligo. It tends to occur in one area and spreads less rapidly. The patches are symmetrical; affects both sides of the body almost in similar proportion.
Treatment
Treatment of vitiligo is available in the form of phototherapy with either UVB or UVA, cosmetics and skin grafting to change appearance of severely affected skin.
Who is affected?
Vitiligo is not transmittable thus you cannot get it from another person. It affects about two percent of the population. It is not age, gender or ace discriminative. However, it is more noticeable in people of darker or tanned skin. It develops early in life and 95% of those affected develop the disease before they get to forty years old. Symptoms of the disease vary from individual to individual. In some people, it does not go beyond a few white spots on face and other body areas. However, in others it involves the appearance of white patches almost in every body part.
Vitiligo runs in the family thus those coming from a family with a history of Vitiligo and premature graying of the hair are at a higher risk of developing the condition. Other people likely to be affected are those with autoimmune disorders. Both men and women face equal risk for the occurrence of white patches on skin.
Causes
Vitiligo is as a result of the destruction of melanocytes. The exact cause of the destruction is not known however, several factors are the likely cause. First, it is possible that an autoimmune disorder could result in the body’s immune system destroying these cells. Another possible cause is harm to the skin either due to severe sunburn or cut. Other likely causes of white skin patches include neural disorders, viral causes and exposure to chemicals that can damage the skin.
Signs and symptoms of Vitiligo
Vitiligo develops gradually. It does not have symptoms unique to it alone thus you can only rely on signs. This is usually the occurrence of small white spots on the sections of the skin. These small spots later grow in diameter and as further pigmentation is lost become large white patches on skin. The growth of these white patches cannot be predicted as to how fast and how far it will spread. Vitiligo could occur in either of its two types; Segmental vitiligo or non segmental vitiligo.
Segmental vitiligo usually tends to affect one side of the body and spreads more rapidly. It is however, the rare form of the two affected about ten percent of the people diagnosed with vitiligo. It is more stable but the white spots are non symmetrical. Its less erratic nature makes it more responsive to topical treatment.
Non segmental vitiligo is the more common form of vitiligo. It tends to occur in one area and spreads less rapidly. The patches are symmetrical; affects both sides of the body almost in similar proportion.
Treatment
Treatment of vitiligo is available in the form of phototherapy with either UVB or UVA, cosmetics and skin grafting to change appearance of severely affected skin.
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