VITILIGO
Labels Vitiligo
Showing posts with label Vitiligo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vitiligo. Show all posts
What Is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a condition that causes white patches of skin due to a loss of
pigment in the cells and tissues of the body.
Melanocytes (MEL-a-no-sites) are special skin cells that make the
pigment* that colors the skin, hair, eyes, and body linings. If these cells
die or cannot make pigment, the affected skin gets lighter or completely
white, causing vitiligo (vit-i-LY-go). The hair in affected areas also may
turn white, and people with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside
their mouths. No one knows for sure what makes melanocytes die or stop
working in vitiligo.
pigment in the cells and tissues of the body.
Melanocytes (MEL-a-no-sites) are special skin cells that make the
pigment* that colors the skin, hair, eyes, and body linings. If these cells
die or cannot make pigment, the affected skin gets lighter or completely
white, causing vitiligo (vit-i-LY-go). The hair in affected areas also may
turn white, and people with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside
their mouths. No one knows for sure what makes melanocytes die or stop
working in vitiligo.
Who Gets Vitiligo?
Vitiligo affects people of all races and both sexes equally. It affects one or
two out of every 100 people. About half of all people who have vitiligo
begin to lose pigment before they are 20 years of age.
Vitiligo is common in people with certain immune system* diseases
and in children with parents who have the condition. However, most
people with vitiligo have no immune system disease, and most children
will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it. In fact, most people with vitiligo
are in good general health and do not have a family history of the
condition.
Vitiligo is more obvious in people with dark skin. Light-skinned
people may notice the contrast between patches of vitiligo and areas of
suntanned skin in the summer. The amount of pigment that is lost varies
from person to person. The first white patches often occur on the hands,
feet, arms, face, or lips. Other common areas for patches to appear are the
armpits, the groin (the area where the inner thighs join the trunk), and
around the navel (belly button) and genitals.
There is no way to know if vitiligo will spread to other parts of the
body, but it usually does spread over time. For some people, this spread
occurs rapidly, but for other people, it takes place over many years. Both
sides of the body usually are affected in a similar way. There may be a few
patches or there may be many.
two out of every 100 people. About half of all people who have vitiligo
begin to lose pigment before they are 20 years of age.
Vitiligo is common in people with certain immune system* diseases
and in children with parents who have the condition. However, most
people with vitiligo have no immune system disease, and most children
will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it. In fact, most people with vitiligo
are in good general health and do not have a family history of the
condition.
Vitiligo is more obvious in people with dark skin. Light-skinned
people may notice the contrast between patches of vitiligo and areas of
suntanned skin in the summer. The amount of pigment that is lost varies
from person to person. The first white patches often occur on the hands,
feet, arms, face, or lips. Other common areas for patches to appear are the
armpits, the groin (the area where the inner thighs join the trunk), and
around the navel (belly button) and genitals.
There is no way to know if vitiligo will spread to other parts of the
body, but it usually does spread over time. For some people, this spread
occurs rapidly, but for other people, it takes place over many years. Both
sides of the body usually are affected in a similar way. There may be a few
patches or there may be many.
How Is Vitiligo Diagnosed and Treated?
Diagnosis To diagnose vitiligo, the doctor may ask about the person’s
symptoms, whether the person has an immune system disorder, and whether
vitiligo runs in the person’s family. The doctor also may suggest various tests
to rule out other medical problems that can cause light skin patches.
Treatment Vitiligo does not always need treatment. For some people
with light skin, simply avoiding a suntan on areas of normal skin is
enough to make the patches of vitiligo almost unnoticeable. Other people
use makeup, skin dyes, or self-tanning products to cover up the vitiligo.
Self-tanning products are creams that give the skin a tan color, but not a
true tan. The color tends to wear off after a few days. These strategies do
not change the condition, but they can make the vitiligo less noticeable.
In children, vitiligo usually is just covered up.
In adults, if covering up the vitiligo is not enough, a medical treatment
may be tried, although results often cannot be seen for 6 to 18
months. The choice of treatment depends on the person’s wishes, how
many white patches the person has, and how widespread the patches are.
Not every treatment works for every person. There are several choices:
symptoms, whether the person has an immune system disorder, and whether
vitiligo runs in the person’s family. The doctor also may suggest various tests
to rule out other medical problems that can cause light skin patches.
Treatment Vitiligo does not always need treatment. For some people
with light skin, simply avoiding a suntan on areas of normal skin is
enough to make the patches of vitiligo almost unnoticeable. Other people
use makeup, skin dyes, or self-tanning products to cover up the vitiligo.
Self-tanning products are creams that give the skin a tan color, but not a
true tan. The color tends to wear off after a few days. These strategies do
not change the condition, but they can make the vitiligo less noticeable.
In children, vitiligo usually is just covered up.
In adults, if covering up the vitiligo is not enough, a medical treatment
may be tried, although results often cannot be seen for 6 to 18
months. The choice of treatment depends on the person’s wishes, how
many white patches the person has, and how widespread the patches are.
Not every treatment works for every person. There are several choices:
- Corticosteroid (kor-ti-ko-STEER-oid) creams can be applied to
the skin and sometimes can return color to small areas of vitiligo. - Psoralen (SOR-a-len) and ultraviolet* therapy entails taking medication
by mouth or applied to the skin and then exposing the light
patches of skin to ultraviolet A light from a special lamp. Ultraviolet
A is the part of sunlight that can cause the skin to tan, and psoralens
are substances that react with ultraviolet light to darken the skin. - Skin grafting is an operation that involves moving skin from normal
areas to white patches. It is useful only for a small number of
people with vitiligo. - Depigmentation therapy involves using medication to fade the
normal skin to match the whitened areas of vitiligo.
Living with Vitiligo
The white patches of vitiligo have no natural protection from the sun and
are very easily sunburned. People with vitiligo should be careful to avoid
exposure to midday sun, to cover up with clothing and a hat, and to use a
sunscreen with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating.
are very easily sunburned. People with vitiligo should be careful to avoid
exposure to midday sun, to cover up with clothing and a hat, and to use a
sunscreen with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating.
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