What is
Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a skin condition
characterized by loss of pigment; this results in white patches appearing on
the skin and mucus membranes.
Who Is At Risk
Of Developing Vitiligo?
Anyone can
develop vitiligo and both genders have an equal chance of getting vitiligo. All
races exhibit a similar prevalence of this condition. However, you are more
likely of developing vitiligo if a parent has it, if you or someone in your
family has an autoimmune condition (such as hyperthyroidism), and if you
experienced graying of hair before the age of 35.
What Is The
Prevalence of Vitiligo?
Vitiligo affects
1 to 2% of the population worldwide and it is estimated that between two to
five million Americans have the condition. Generally, vitiligo develops between
the ages of 10 to 30.
What Causes
Vitiligo?
The symptoms of vitiligo arise
because the melanocytes (the cells that produce pigment which gives the skin
its color) are either destroyed or stop functioning. What causes this to happen
is still debatable - it may be the result of an autoimmune reaction, genetics,
or possibly an event such as sunburn or emotional stress.
Is Vitiligo
Contagious?
No, vitiligo is not
contagious.
What Are the
Symptoms of Vitiligo?
People with vitiligo
exhibit irregular white patches on different parts of the body, and these patches
of grow bigger with time. Usually, the first white patches appear on the face,
lips, hands, arms and feet. Later, they spread to other areas including the
armpits, eyes, genitals and nostrils. Loss of pigment can also result in the
eyes and hair.
How Is Vitiligo
Diagnosed?
A doctor will diagnose vitiligo
by doing a physical examination, taking a patient's history and possibly
carrying out a biopsy and/or blood test to rule out other conditions.
How Is Vitiligo
Treated?
Conventional medical treatments
for vitiligo include: UV light therapy re-pigmentation, corticosteroids (oral
or topical), skin grafting, skin tattooing, and in extensive cases of vitiligo,
de-pigmentation of the rest of the skin to match the color of the affected
skin.
Is Vitiligo
Treatment Effective?
Unfortunately no
method has a guaranteed success. Steroids may produce some improvements if used
in the long-term, but this is not recommended because of side effects. Light
therapy is effective to an extent, but it is very time consuming and can cause
eye damage, skin burns and skin cancer. Skin grafting should in theory be very
effective, but in reality many complications occur, including rejection of the
graft, infection, and abnormal appearance of the grafted skin (cobblestone
effect).
Is It True That
Vitiligo Can Be Cured Without Any Medications Or Surgery?
Yes, there has been numerous research papers published
that reported that in scientific trials, patients have been cured of vitiligo
using a combination of 3 vitamins, herbal extracts or a combination of herbals and
vitamins. It has also been shown that dietary changes can have a pronounced
effect of the condition. A lot of research on natural cures for vitiligo has
been carried out in Sweden.