PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, April 21: Often misunderstood as Leprosy by many people, Vitiligo or Leucoderma is a disease that can affect people of any age or sex. Vitiligo is a rare auto-immune disorder but most people fall prey to myths associated with vitiligo and throw their questions at people with this disorder. It is not always genetic and it is not contagious.
Vitiligo is a relatively common disorder that is characterized by depigmented patches of skin. Multiple studies characterize the overwhelming psychological burden that is experienced by many patients around the globe. This review examines personal patient stories and the impacts of age, culture, sex, race, and ethnicity in relation to altered self-esteem and quality of life in patients who live with vitiligo.
Busting the myths associated with Vitiligo, Dr Kumar Prateek, Consultant Dermatologist at MEDICA shared, “Vitiligo which in common language is known as Leucoderma is an autoimmune disease which does not transmit by living in close contact or touching which means that it is not transmissible. It does have a genetic component though. The vitiligo patch looks ivory white and many a time the hair on the affected patch is also white. It can arise on any part of the body including the genitals.”
Sharing the causes of Vitiligo Dr Prateek said that it is an acquired disorder that happens after the birth of a person. This is due to the loss of the melanocyte which provides colour to the body by producing a pigment named melanin, the particular part of the body becomes ivory white. The amount of melanin present decides the colour of the skin where more amount of melanin makes the body look dark brown and less amount of melanin makes the body look fair.
“The exact reason for vitiligo is not known to date, but majorly it is caused due to the autoimmune destruction of the melanocytes where the body feels that melanocytes are not a part of the body and the autoimmune system destroys that which in turn stops the production of colour. Autoimmune destruction of melanocytes is also associated with abnormalities such as thyroid and diabetes. It does have a genetic component where the child gets it from their mother or father but it is not certain that the child will have vitiligo or not,” he added.
On the question of vitiligo’s initial symptoms, Dr Prateek said that if a person’s body starts developing white patches over the body which can be in any part of the body then the person should examine his body in front of a mirror and should consult a skin specialist without delay.
Talking about the treatment methodologies, Dr Prateek said that treatment depends from patient to patient in which several factors are to be kept in mind before going ahead with the treatment procedures.
“If the disease is active then we opt for medical treatment where the main purpose of the medications is to stabilise the disease by giving immunomodulators and topicals (medicines which are applied over the skin). The second treatment method is surgical one in which skin grafts is done where a patch of skin is removed by surgery from the coloured area of the body and transplanted or attached to the affected site,” he added.
On the question of whether vitiligo can be treated by taking medications on their own without consulting the doctor, Dr Prateek said, “Please do not go for any kind of self-treatment. If there are signs of white patches over the body one should consult a skin specialist and share the problem that they are facing and depending upon their situation correct decisions will be taken by the doctor which will be suitable for the patient.”
