Vitiligo

We sometimes see people whose skin has two different colors, and this condition is called vitiligo. This condition isn’t malignant or contagious, yet it can cause psychological problems due to the change in appearance.

Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes the skin to lose its color, which makes it appear dark in some parts of the body and light in others. Moreover, if vitiligo affects areas that have hair on them, then the hair might lose its color as well.

Vitiligo appears more clearly in people with dark skin, and it can also manifest at any age. Usually, it becomes clear before the age of thirty.

Types of vitiligo

• Localized vitiligo: spots or patches of vitiligo appear in one location or more than one specific location in the body.
• Generalized or universal vitiligo: it causes the appearance of scattered patches of vitiligo in different parts of the body.
• Segmented vitiligo: it affects one side of the body.
• Non-segmented vitiligo: it affects both sides of the body.
• Mixed vitiligo.
• Face and hands vitiligo.

Causes of vitiligo

Vitiligo occurs when the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop working. These cells are responsible for producing the melanin that gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes. The affected skin areas become lighter or white.

There isn’t a clear cause for this condition, yet it’s believed that it’s a result of:

• A disorder in the immune system.
• Heredity factors.
• A trigger, such as stress, severe sunburn, ultraviolet radiation, or when the skin touches specific substances like phenol-containing detergents or any other toxic chemicals.
• The risk of developing vitiligo increases if the person has Addison’s disease, anemia, type 1 diabetes, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or a thyroid disease.

Symptoms of vitiligo

• Patchy skin depigmentation that usually starts in the hands, forearms, feet, and face, and these patches might continue to appear in any part of the body, even in the mucous membranes (the membranes that cover the mouth, nose, genital parts, and rectum), in addition to the eyes and inside the ears.
• Hair depigmentation, which might become white or gray.
• Some people might experience itchiness in the places of vitiligo before its appearance.
• Vitiligo might lead to some complications, such as increased sensitive skin to sunlight, some problems in the retina and iris in the eyes, an increased risk of having other autoimmune diseases, and mental problems like depression and anxiety.

Diagnosis of vitiligo

• Physical examination and using a specific light to examine the patches.

Treatment of vitiligo

Visible vitiligo patches can be treated, but it’s unable to prevent their reappearance. The treatments include:

• Some topical creams and ointments slow the speed of the depigmentation.
• Light therapy to help return the color to the skin.
• The depigmentation of the rest of the skin to make the skin one color.
• Skin grafting involves taking a part of the unaffected skin and covering the affected part with it.
• Protecting the skin from excessive sunlight.