What Is Vitiligo? - Vitiligo Information
By Gary Giovanni
What Is Vitiligo?
If you have been diagnosed with Vitiligo or know someone that has the condition you probably want to know about this autoimmune disorder. Vitiligo is the name given to a condition that causes the loss of pigment on your skin, hair and even eye color.
What Causes Pigment Loss?
Melanin is the compound responsible for producing color and when the production of melanin is interrupted you will start experiencing pigment loss. Doctors have several theories regarding how and why this take place but they don't have concrete proof as to what causes Vitiligo. The leading theories are:
· Autoimmune - an autoimmune disorder starts attacking your own healthy tissues and cells. During this attack your body responds in many different ways depending on the condition. If you have Vitiligo your immune system starts attacking melanocytes, the cells responsible for creating melanin and when the level of melanin decreases you start losing color. Some Vitiligo patients also experience other autoimmune disorders.
· Autotoxic - if the cause is autotoxic it means a toxic substance is produced damaging the melanocytes ability to produce melanin. The result is the same as with the automimmune condition resulting in loss of color.
· Neural - your body produces many different chemicals and it is believed some neural chemicals such as norepinephrine can be toxic to melanocytes, stopping or limiting the amount of melanin they generate.
While these are some possible cause for Vitiligo some patients have experienced the onset of this disorder after an injury such as chemical or fire burns or a traumatic event with psychological repercussions.
Autoimmune Disorders
Autoimmune disorders are not fully understood and why the body starts turning on itself is still being researched. More than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders have been identified and they affect eight percent of the world population with women making up the vast majority. In the case of Vitiligo it affects both sexes and every race with the same frequency.
Getting Diagnosed
A white patch or a spot with less color than the rest of your body doesn't automatically mean you have Vitiligo. Many conditions and exposure to chemicals or even the sun can cause temporary loss of color on your skin. If the patch doesn't improve consult a dermatologist so he or she can make the right diagnosis. Woods Lamp or a blood test is used to accurately diagnose Vitiligo. You can get Vitiligo at any time but most cases take place before the age of 20.
Treatments
You have many options when it comes to treatment. You should choose your therapy after finding out the type of Vitiligo you have and the best way to treat it taking into consideration your quality of life. The importance of your quality of life can not be underestimated because Vitiligo is more of a psychological condition because it has no physical effects except the loss of pigment. Just like any other disorder you will hear many people promising a cure for Vitiligo with lotions, potions and high tech equipment. The truth is people have recovered fully from Vitiligo without any explanation and people who have completely changed their diet and way of thinking have also experienced very positive results. The most important message you should get from your doctor is you have options and it is possible to overcome Vitiligo. If you have a doctor who doesn't offer a positive outlook find one that will. The treatment options include:
· Topical drugs - steroids and vitamin D
· Systemic drugs - steroids and psoralens
· Phototherapy - such as excimer laser and narrow band UVB
· Surgery - skin grafting and melanocyte transplantation
· De-pigmentation - bleaching the pigmented skin if the Vitiligo covers the majority of your skin
· Camouflage - using cosmetics to blend in the areas affected with Vitiligo
· Alternative therapy - the use of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ayurvedic therapy and other non-traditional methods
· Counseling and support - therapy to learn coping mechanisms and the psychological effects of Vitiligo
It is extremely important to find the right doctor if you have Vitiligo. Although it has already been mentioned it is worth repeating because a doctor with a positive attitude can go a long way in helping you deal as well as triumph over Vitiligo.
Hope
The psychological effects of Vitiligo can be debilitating but you have to remember it is possible to cure yourself from this disorder. You have to change how you think and be positive about your outlook on life. Doctors do not know how anyone gets Vitiligo and they also do not know why some people recover. This in itself should let you know that it is within you to get better and that is why you should never under any circumstance abandon hope.
The hope is not without evidence, there is ample evidence showing there are countless people who have recovered fully from vitiligo. The process of overcoming vitiligo involves many different therapies and if you find the right one it is possible for you to heal.
