What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a skin disease of unknown cause, in which white areas appear due to loss of pigment in the skin. It can be seen in any part of the body, most commonly the face, lips, hands, arms, legs and genital areas.
Who Gets Vitiligo?
Anyone can get vitiligo, and it can develop at any age. The disease affects 1% of the world’s population, approximately. It affects men, women and all races equally. Although it can be seen at any age from infancy to old age, it starts before the age of 20 in approximately half of the patients and 20% of the patients have a family history.
What are the Causes of Vitiligo?
The cause of the disease is not fully known. It is thought to occur with the effect of environmental triggering factors (sun, infections, additional diseases) in individuals with genetic predisposition. The pigment called melanin determines skin, hair and eye color and is produced in cells called melanocytes. If these cells die or cannot produce melanin, the skin becomes lighter or completely white in color.
How Is Vitiligo Diagnosed?
White areas on the skin can be seen not only in vitiligo but also in other diseases. The differential diagnosis of these white areas is made by a dermatologist. White areas are first evaluated with the naked eye. In order to see the degree of whiteness better and to detect areas that cannot be seen with the naked eye, the diagnosis is confirmed with a device that emits ultraviolet light, called “Wood’s Lamp”. In cases where the diagnosis is controversial, a skin biopsy can be performed.
How is Vitiligo Treated?
The treatment plan in vitiligo is determined by the age of the patient, the extent of the affected area and the degree of the disease. Treatment options include;
- Locally used creams: For this purpose, cortisone creams are the most often preferred treatment option. However, long-term use without the control of a dermatologist may cause many side effects such as thinning of the skin, vascularization, acne, and hair growth. Therefore, it should be used under the control of a dermatologist. Creams containing tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are another treatment options.
- Phototherapy (Light therapy): It is the treatment using different wavelengths of ultraviolet light. PUVA, local PUVA and narrowband UVB treatments are most commonly used ones. Phototherapy must be done under the control of a dermatologist. Solarium is a device used for cosmetic purposes, it should never be used for treatment purposes, it can cause many conditions from burns to skin cancer.
- Depigmentation treatment: In some patients with extensive involvement, the best solution is to lighten the intact areas of the skin. For this purpose, a chemical called Monobenzone (monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone, MBEH) is used. This treatment takes approximately 1 year to complete. Pigment loss is permanent.
- Protecting the skin from the sun: White areas in vitiligo can easily burn in the sun, so sunscreen creams with a sun protection factor of at least 30 should be used continuously. It is not enough to apply cream only while swimming or sunbathing. Sunbathing should be at the times with the time length recommended by your doctor. Sun protective clothing and sunglasses should be used.
- Camouflage: If no treatment can be beneficial, camouflage can be applied to cover the white areas with permanent make-up.
- Psychological support: Since vitiligo is a disease that spoils the external appearance of the person, it can cause stress, decrease in self-confidence, unhappiness and depression, as well as tend to increase with psychological factors. Therefore, patients should stay away from stress and seek help from a psychiatrist if necessary.
- Diet: Vitiligo has nothing to do with diet, but healthy nutrition is also recommended in vitiligo, as is recommended in any case.
What is the General Course of Vitiligo?
The course and severity of the disease vary from person to person; usually progresses slowly, and in some cases, the disease progression appears to halt temporarily and then resumes; In severe cases, it can cover the entire body. In some patients, some color returns (re-pigmentation occurs), and in rare cases it resolves completely on its own.
Is Vitiligo a Disease with Treatment?
Vitiligo is a treatable disease, but the exact cause of vitiligo is unknown and the disease has no cure, so the results of treatment may differ individually. There are different treatment options and these treatments should be used for at least 3 months. The choice of treatment must be decided together with the dermatologist. Treatment can help restore the lost skin color, but the color (re-pigmentation) may fade over time. To keep their results, many patients have maintenance treatments, regularly.
Is Vitiligo Contagious?
Vitiligo is not contagious.
Is There a Coexistence of Vitiligo and Other Diseases?
In vitiligo, the body produces antibodies against its own melanocytes and damages them; The same antibodies can cause damage to other organs, such as the thyroid. For this reason, other autoimmune diseases (such as thyroid disease, diabetes) may occur simultaneously with vitiligo. Vitiligo can be triggered by sunburn.
