Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a fairly common, chronic skin condition which is characterized by the appearance of irregular patches that have a color, which is lighter and paler than that of the native skin. It is estimated that roughly one in every hundred people is suffering from this disorder across the globe.
The patches of vitiligo can be extremely variable in their appearance. They can vary in their sizes, their shapes, the intensity of their color loss and also in the pattern of their distribution.
The loss of color in vitiligo is because of a reduction in the population of color producing cells, which are called melanocytes.
But why exactly does this reduction in the number of melanocytes take place, is quite complex and obscure to some extent as well.
The available scientific data indicates that it results from an interaction of multiple factors. A genetic predisposition towards Vitiligo is a fairly well known phenomenon, but auto-immunity and environmental factors also have their own shares to contribute.
Vitiligo can have a profound effect on the emotional and psychological well being of the victim. This is particularly more significant in people with a darker skin, because the difference in color of the affected, and the normal skin can be very drastic.
People suffering from vitiligo may even be stigmatized in certain societies, with obvious difficulties in a meaningful and positive social interaction. These people may have difficulties in finding partners, and also in making a successful career in public professions.
People with vitiligo can hence feel depressed both because of such stigmas as well as due to the dramatic change in their appearance. But that is not a rule. There are numerous people who do not experience any negative psychological effects of vitiligo at all.
If you have vitiligo, you can feel assured however, that
· It poses no danger to your life
· It is not contagious and
· It is not a pre-cancerous condition.
· The only physical discomfort that you can have due to this condition is intolerance to bright sun light, but that also becomes a concern only when a very large area of affected skin is exposed to sunlight directly.
The appearance of vitiligo is quite typical and its diagnosis is not usually difficult. Your doctor may however examine your skin under a special kind of light known as the Wood’s lamp to be surer. A skin biopsy may be required only in very rare instances. But that is not common. If you have been diagnosed to suffer from vitiligo, there is no reason to panic. It may not spread any further, or it may even regress on its own. If the patch is a small one and you have either not started a treatment or else the treatment has not started working as yet, you can even cover it with makeup or other cosmetic camouflage techniques.
If you consult a dermatologist for vitiligo, you will most probably get a prescription for a corticosteroid cream. Such creams can be very effective, but this benefit is usually temporary, and not without unwanted effects. It is not unlikely that you find yourself disappointed with the outcome.
Phototherapy with Ultraviolet A, alone, or in combination with psoralen therapy, known as PUVA, is also gaining popularity with variable reports of effectivity.
Surgical transplantation of melanocytes is another new option, which has shown some promise but is very expensive, and still in its experimental stages.
Vitiligo is one such disorder where herbal remedies are more popular than the prescription medicine. That is mainly because herbal products are more economical, more tolerable and not less effective than the steroid cream. Certain herbal products have claimed permanent re-pigmentation of the affected skin as well, and they have numerous clients to testify their claims also.
We can summarize hence in the end that there are some half a dozen options for managing your vitiligo, and you can even have the liberty to pick and choose the one that suits you best.