In vitiligo, the skin loses its pigment. Pigment (also called melanin) is produced by the cells called melanocytes and causes the skin color.
Some people lose pigment in patches of a normal skin, and this pigment is replaced by white flat patches with irregular borders. These patches, caused due to loss of pigmentation, can occur in a small portion of the body or areas covering over 50% of the body. Body parts that are more exposed to the sun are more likely to be affected by vitiligo. E.g. hands, arms, face or feet. However, sometimes it can happen in genitalia also.
Vitiligo can be managed but not cured. You’ll need to handle the disorder for rest of your life. Since vitiligo isn’t contagious and doesn’t cause pain, it isn’t dangerous. Vitiligo can affect females and males equally. The depigmentation or patches are more noticeable/ visible in people with dark skin.
In vitiligo, the skin loses its pigment. Pigment (also called melanin) is produced by the cells called melanocytes and causes the skin color.
Some people lose pigment in patches of a normal skin, and this pigment is replaced by white flat patches with irregular borders. These patches, caused due to loss of pigmentation, can occur in a small portion of the body or areas covering over 50% of the body. Body parts that are more exposed to the sun are more likely to be affected by vitiligo. E.g. hands, arms, face or feet. However, sometimes it can happen in genitalia also.
Vitiligo can be managed but not cured. You’ll need to handle the disorder for rest of your life. Since vitiligo isn’t contagious and doesn’t cause pain, it isn’t dangerous. Vitiligo can affect females and males equally. The depigmentation or patches are more noticeable/ visible in people with dark skin.
The absence of the pigment on the skin is the main symptom of vitiligo. There are three different patterns of depigmentation that may show up in people with vitiligo:
Though the exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, experts feel that the following could be the probable causes of vitiligo:
The following foods should be avoided by people with vitiligo:
You can try some creams for vitiligo. These creams mostly have steroids, which help in re-pigmentation of the skin. But beware of side-effects of the steroids.
The absence of the pigment on the skin is the main symptom of vitiligo. There are three different patterns of depigmentation that may show up in people with vitiligo:
Though the exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, experts feel that the following could be the probable causes of vitiligo:
The following foods should be avoided by people with vitiligo:
You can try some creams for vitiligo. These creams mostly have steroids, which help in re-pigmentation of the skin. But beware of side-effects of the steroids.