It often occurs in different individuals in the same family. Almost 30 to 40% of people who are affected with vitiligo also have a family member in it. There is a 5% chance that it can transfer from mother to baby. But still, there is no particular proof of how and why it is hereditary.

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3.3 Minute

06-August-2024 Team Medicover Dermatology

What is Vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a skin condition where white spots or patches appear. It can affect anyone, including kids and teens. It's not dangerous, not like skin cancer or an infection you can catch. It's not contagious, so you can't get it from someone else.

Most people with vitiligo are healthy. Over time, more patches may appear on different parts of the body, even on hair or inside the mouth and nose. It often starts in areas exposed to the sun. About 1% of the world has vitiligo.

Types of Vitiligo

Segmental
Non-Segmental

Segmental:

Segmental is nonuniform vitiligo and spreads rapidly; it is more constant and stable than non-segmental vitiligo. It is very rare and is seen in only 10% of the cases. It mainly occurs in the areas where the skin is attached to nerves. It mainly occurs in younger people.

Non-Segmental:

If the white patches are formed uniformly on the body, this is called Non-segmental vitiligo. This is common in 90% of cases. The patches appear uniformly on both sides and mainly occur on body parts exposed to the sun, such as the Neck, nose, face, and hands.

The Non-segmental vitiligo is further divided into 5 types:

Generalised
Acrofacial
Mucosal
Universal
Focal

Generalized:

The patches occur on the body, and they are of no particular size and shape and can occur in any part of the body. This is the most common type.

Acrofacial:

In this type of vitiligo, the patches occur mainly on the toes, fingers, and hands.

Mucosal:

If the white patches occur around mucous membranes and lips is called Mucosal.

Universal:

If the vitiligo spreads to almost every part of the body, then it is Universal.

Focal:

The white patches occur discontinuously on a body and then become focal. They are mostly seen in children.

What are the Symptoms of Vitiligo?

Patches of skin or mouth that lose colour, looking white or lighter.
Hair turning silver, grey, or white.
Symptoms can be mild, affecting a small area, or severe, spreading over a large area. Some people with vitiligo have itchy skin before losing colour.

Where will I have Symptoms of Vitiligo?

Vitiligo can appear anywhere on your body, but common spots are:

Hands
Feet
Arms
Face
Inside the mouth, lips, and nose
Genitals

Causes of Vitiligo

Changes in the immune system are the main cause.
It's often genetic, where melanocytes stop producing melanin.
Sunburns can trigger it.
Industrial chemicals can affect melanin production.
People with dark skin are more prone to vitiligo.

Treatment for Vitiligo

Vitiligo does not have a permanent cure; the treatment is only to stop spreading it. Treatment works better if it starts at an early stage (perhaps before 2 or 3 months after starting). If the white spots are developing slowly, then we can treat them very fast compared to other cases.

If the skin parts contain more hair, the chances of curing are higher than for the skin parts with less hair because the pigments in the hair will migrate to the upper surface of the skin to repigment the skin.

The parts of the skin that recover very fast are the face, chest, arms, and legs. And hands, wrists, feet, and hips have fewer chances of recovery after treatment.

Types of Treatments

Non-Cultured Epidermal cellular drafting
Steroid Creams
UV therapy
Excimer laser
Depigmentation
Micro tattooing

Preventions of Vitiligo:

Despite the lack of evidence, some people prevented vitiligo by following some tips.

Drinking a lot of water can boost the body's immune system, which can prevent it.
Having green, leafy vegetables and fruits like bananas and apples
To prevent the formation of white patches, avoid consuming alcohol, coffee, fish, and red meat.
Consuming food that contains vitamins B and C, as well as amino acids and folic acids, can prevent these white patches.
When the skin is affected by wounds, burns, or sunburns, the pigment cells are destroyed. Avoiding deep skin wounds and burns will prevent this.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When melanocytes stop producing melanin, white patches start on the body. Vitiligo can start at any age, but it predominantly appears between the 20 and 30 age group. It often appears on body parts exposed to the sun and slowly spreads throughout the body. The main reason for vitiligo is the loss of pigmentation. It appears equally in both men and women.

It often occurs in different individuals in the same family. Almost 30 to 40% of people who are affected with vitiligo also have a family member in it. There is are 5% chance that it can transfer from mother to baby. But still, there is no particular proof of how and why it is hereditary.

It occurs due to the loss of pigment in the skin. However, there is no research proof that it causes cancer. In some cases, skin cancer-affected people are also affected by vitiligo.

Vitiligo is not caused by stress, but it occurs if melanocytes stop producing melanin. In some cases, stress increases it. If a person is already affected by vitiligo, the white patches will spread over his body if he is stressed.

If the body has a weaker immune system, the melanocytes stop producing melanin, which causes vitiligo. Therefore, there is no separate diet for it. A particular fruit or food cannot cure it. A proper and complete nutritional diet of different fruits and vegetables will prevent it.

Many people believe that milk causes vitiligo or that it is not advisable for vitiligo patients. But this is just a myth. Milk contains calcium and nutrients that improve immunity. Therefore, milk is an essential diet for people with vitiligo.

There is no difference between leucoderma and vitiligo. Leuco means white, and derma means patches. Another name for it is leucoderma.