What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. Resulting in depigmented spots, pigment-free spots.
The main symptom of the disease is white, flat spots on the skin. Vitiligo can be detected on any area of the body.
Vitiligo occurs when cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning.
Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself.
Vitiligo is still considered an incurable condition.
Vitiligo symptoms include:
- Patchy loss of skin color, which usually first appears on the hands, face, and areas around body openings and the genitals
- Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
- Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of your mouth and nose (mucous membranes)
Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually appears before age 30.
It's difficult to predict how your disease will progress.
Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In most cases, pigment loss spreads and eventually involves most of your skin. Occasionally, the skin gets its color back.
Causes
Vitiligo occurs when pigment-producing cells die or stop producing melanin — the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes color.
It's unclear exactly what causes these pigment cells to fail or die. It may be related to autoimmune condition, family history, stress, skin trauma or severe sunburn.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitiligo/symptoms-causes/syc-20355912
