World Vitiligo Day is observed every year on June 25 to raise awareness about the skin condition and to celebrate people who are affected. According to reports, nearly 0.5% to 1% of the world's population suffer from the condition. Vitiligo is an auto-immune skin condition which causes your skin to lose its pigment or colour. This makes your skin look lighter than your natural skin tone.
Vitiligo happens when your body's immune system destroys melanocytes, which are skin cells that produce melanin. The condition affects all races and sexes equally, however, it is more visible in people with darker skin tones.
Vitiligo Symptoms
The symptoms of vitiligo are:
- Patches of skin or mucous membranes that lose colour. These can appear white or lighter than your natural skin tone.
- Patches of hair on your body turn silver, gray or white.
These symptoms can be mild and can affect only a small area of your body or severe and affect a large area of your skin. Symptoms of vitiligo can appear anywhere on the skin of your body. However, the most common places are your hands, feet, arms, face, mucous membranes (inside of your mouth, lips and nose) and genitals (penis).
Vitiligo Causes
Vitiligo can happen due to various reasons. These are:
- Autoimmune condition: This happens when your immune system mistakes healthy cells (melanocytes) as foreign invaders like bacteria that can cause harm to your body. This makes your immune system overreact and develop antibodies to destroy your melanocytes.
- Genetic changes: A genetic mutation or a change to your body’s DNA can affect how your melanocytes function. There are over 30 genes that can increase your risk of developing vitiligo.
- Stress: The amount of pigment your melanocyte cells produce may change if you experience frequent emotional stress or physical stress on your body, especially after an injury.
- Environmental triggers: Factors like ultraviolet radiation and toxic chemical exposure can affect how your melanocyte cells function.
Vitiligo Complications
There might be complications that can arise due to vitiligo. These include:
- Sensitive skin: Macules and patches lack melanocytes, so your skin can be more sensitive to sunlight than the rest of your skin. This can cause your skin to quickly burn instead of tanning.
- Eye abnormalities: People with vitiligo may have some abnormalities in their retinas and some variation of colour in their irises. In some cases, there’s inflammation of the retina or iris, but vision usually isn’t affected.
- Predisposition to autoimmune conditions: People with vitiligo may be more likely to get other autoimmune conditions that affect how their body’s immune system functions. Common autoimmune conditions include hypothyroidism, diabetes and anaemia.
- Emotional challenges: People with vitiligo may feel embarrassed about the way their skin looks. Some people diagnosed with vitiligo develop low self-esteem. This could cause anxiety or depression and make someone want to isolate themselves or avoid social situations.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
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