What is vitiligo?

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3 years ago

I recently met a friend of mine whom I have not seen for five years but could not recognise him. Although he was previously dark in colour, he is now white in some parts of the body. When I asked him what the problem was, he said he suffers from a skin problem called vitiligo. Kindly let me know what this is?

William (by SMS)

Vitiligo is an acquired condition of the skin with reduced or absent coloration/pigmentation leaving areas of white patches compared to other areas of the body. This is due to the absence or non -function of cells called melanocytes responsible for the coloration of the skin. People with vitiligo are not born with the disease but acquire it along the way. The disease which is not infectious can be caused by genetics since some people with the disease have a family history of the condition. However, it is not an inherited disease. Research has shown that males and females are affected equally, but females tend to present more often to the hospital. In addition, the majority of cases will occur between the ages of 10 to 30 years. However, it can also occur in people older than 30 years or those younger than 10 years.

Chemical vitiligo can also occur when there is an exposure to some chemicals like those used in the rubber industry while also identifying autoimmune- where the body itself attacks the cells producing the pigments in the skin as another cause. In addition, vitiligo might be associated with diabetes mellitus and other endocrine malfunctions. Since it has no known cure for now the current management revolves around dietary advice and most importantly, the need to develop self-confidence because skin conditions can make people fall into depression. People with vitiligo must know that the fault is not theirs, that they are perfectly normal except for the color change. Vitiligo is not infectious so they don’t need isolation. They need to be confident about their self-worth and discard negative responses. They need to be part of the advocacy to enlighten those ignorant about the condition. They should join support groups and even become a strong voice and advocate for people living with vitiligo.

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