Vitiligo, Causes, Symptoms and Best Treatment

Vitiligo, Causes, Symptoms and Best Treatment

Vitiligo is a condition that causes the skin to lose its colour. It affects between 0.2 per cent and 1 per cent of people around the world.

It can occur in people of any race. It is most noticeable, though, among people with dark skin.

Because the contrast between the normal skin tone and the white patches that have been affected by vitiligo treatment is more pronounced.

People with vitiligo experience colour loss in various areas of exposed skin.

Some may experience the discolouration in the mouth, in the hair on the scalp, or in their eyelashes or eyebrows.

What Causes Vitiligo and Who Gets It:

Vitiligo is the result of the skin’s melanocytes being destroyed. Melanocytes are cells within the skin that produce melanin, which is responsible for giving the skin its colour.

Vitiligo is generally thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly destroys its own melanocytes.

Research from the past decade more conclusively shows that the immune system indeed plays a role in how the skin condition develops.

There are two main types of vitiligo:

Nonsegmental vitiligo is the more common type. Patients with nonsegmental vitiligo experience white patches on both sides of the body.

Segmental vitiligo, On the other hand, occurs mainly in one area (or segment) of the body. About 10 per cent of vitiligo cases is segmental vitiligo.

White Patches on the Skin Are the Most Common Sign of Vitiligo:

The biggest sign that someone may have vitiligo is light or depigmented spots appearing on the skin.

The spots can show up anywhere on the body, though they usually first appear in areas that receive a lot of sun exposure, such as on the face, arms, neck and hands.

It is also not uncommon for the spots to appear in the groin area, in the armpits, and around the belly button.

There are some other signs of vitiligo, including:

• Hair turning grey or white prematurely.
• Eyelashes or eyebrows losing colour and turning white.
• Change of colour in the retina of the eye.
• Colour loss in the nose and mouth area.

Where the spots appear, how widespread the condition is, and how it will progress varies from person to person.

Most people with the skin disorder experience it in many different areas of the body.

This type, called generalized vitiligo, tends to show up symmetrically on both sides of the body.

Others experience on the imperfection only on one side of the body or in just a few areas.

Diagnosed and Getting Treated Are Important:

If you suspect you may have the skin disorder, visit either your primary care doctor or a dermatologist in Delhi. When you are at your appointment, your doctor will likely ask:

• Whether you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
• If a close relative has been diagnosed with skin diseases.
• If you have experienced any stressful or abnormal events recently, such as a severe sunburn or major life changes

All of these factors can increase your risk of developing skin disorder.

Most of the time, Dermatologist in Delhi will diagnose vitiligo by visually identifying white patches on the skin and considering your medical history.

He or she may use a Wood lamp, which uses ultraviolet light to identify pigment loss.

The tool tends to be most useful for people with fairer skin where the difference in colour is more subtle.

Some dermatologists will want to do more testing beyond a skin exam.

Your skin specialist may request a skin biopsy, which will show whether melanocytes are present in the skin. A lack of melanocytes is an indication of vitiligo.

He or she may also ask for a blood test to see if you have another autoimmune disease.

There is not currently a cure for vitiligo, and “nothing can be done to prevent it from spreading a dermatologist.

But there are a few treatment options that can help minimize the appearance of the white spots, including:

• Using makeup and self-tanners to cover up white patches
• Medications, including corticosteroid creams and ointments containing tacrolimus or pimecrolimus.
• Light therapy, specifically narrowband UVB.
• Pigment removal from the unaffected skin.
• Surgery, including skin grafting, blister grafting, and tattooing

Some of these treatment options come with negative also side effects, such as scarring, dry and itchy skin, and skin with a streaky appearance.