Vitiligo

The irregular white areas of skin may not be a symptom of a life-threatening condition. However, the both the psychological and emotional effects of the condition can be highly distressing to some people. Vitiligo, a common disorder which involves the destruction of the melanocytes, or the cells responsible in the production of pigment, is characterized by the appearance of white patches on the skin.

The real cause of the condition remains unknown, but experts have varied theories. There has been evidence that patients suffering from vitiligo have inherited three particular genes which made them vulnerable to the pigmentation disorder. However, the theory that is highly accepted is that depigmentation takes place because the condition is believed to be an autoimmune disease. In an autoimmune disease, the patient’s immune system works against the organs and tissues of the body. Due to this, the body produces cytokines, a type of proteins which cause the destruction of these cells. One other theory points out that the melanocytes are possibly destroying themselves. Moreover, there are people who claim that some events, like sunburn or certain emotional issues, which can trigger the onset of vitiligo. However, such events remain mere theories and do not have scientific evidences to prove their actual role, if any, in the development of vitiligo.

Although only about 0.5-1% of the total population of the world is suffering from vitiligo, that is still around 65 million individuals. In the United States alone, there are approximately 1-2 million patients affected by the disease. Half of these patients have it before their 20 birthday, while the rest develop the condition before turning 40 years old. Vitiligo skin disorder is known to affect people regardless of sex and race. But the disease is obviously more distinct in dark-skinned people. This is because of the contrast of white patches against dark skin.

Vitiligo symptoms include white patches on the skin, particularly on areas typically exposed to the sun. These include the feet, hands, face, lips, and arms. Other areas where the white patches normally appear as well are the groin, armpits, and areas surrounding the eyes, navel, nostrils, rectum, and genitals.

There are three patterns involved in the appearance of vitiligo. The focal pattern is characterized by a depigmentation on one or a few areas of the body. The segmental pattern involves depigmentation on a single side of the patient’s body. The generalized pattern, which is the most prevalent, has depigmented patches appearing symmetrically all over the body.

Aside from the appearance of white patches, patients may also experience premature gray hairs, beard, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Dark-skinned patients may observe that their mouths have lost their colors.

Certain patterns, such as the focal and segmental, are not known to spread, but rather, are localized on the same area. It is yet unknown if the generalized pattern will spread. For some patients, the white patches remain localized and never spread. However, vitiligo is said to be progressive, and experts believe that the white patches will eventually spread to other parts of the body. The extent and speed of the spread varies per patient. Some vitiligo cases require years before spreading. For others, spreading happens rapidly.

The recommended vitiligo treatment depends on the extent of white patches, their sizes, their locations, the severity of the condition, and the personal choice of the patient. Not all patients respond to therapy in the same way, and a certain treatment option that worked for one, may fail in another. Modern treatment methods may be surgical, medical, or adjunctive therapy. But regardless of the choice of treatment a patient decides to have, it is still comforting to know that there is a way out of this disease.