What is vitiligo and how do you tackle it?

About 5 in 1000 people have white spots on the skin that grow larger over time. What do these people have and what can you do about it?

These people have vitiligo, a skin disease in which the skin loses melanin. Melanin is a dye that provides skin color. With vitiligo, some skin cells lose the ability to produce melanin. The cause of the disease is not known. The disease is more noticeable in people with dark skin or who spend a lot of time in the sun.

Vitiligo usually starts on parts of the body that receive a lot of sunlight, such as the face, lips, hands or feet. But it can also occur in places that are not usually exposed to the sun, such as the genitals. It can actually occur all over the body.

It is more of a cosmetic than a health problem. A cosmetic treatment can mask the white spots, but there is no real treatment. Avoiding the sun makes the disease less noticeable because the disease zones tan less.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitiligo/symptoms-causes/syc-20355912

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2023-12-11 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024