labake1:
*VITILIGO*
Vitiligo is a disease in which the pigment cells of the skin, melanocytes, are destroyed in certain areas.
Symptoms and signs of vitiligo include loss of skin color in the form of depigmented, or white, patches of skin in any location on the body. Vitiligo can be focal and localized to one area, or it may affect several different areas on the body. The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, although most experts believe that it is an autoimmune condition in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys certain cells within the body. Most people who have vitiligo will develop the condition prior to age 40; about half develop it before age 20.Vitiligo may have a genetic component, as the condition tends to run in families.Vitiligo is sometimes associated with other medical conditions, including thyroid dysfunction.
There is no way to determine if vitiligo will spread or remain confined to one location.
Vitiligo is not painful and does not have significant health consequences; however, it can have emotional and psychological consequences.
Some medical treatments can reduce the severity of the condition, but it can be difficult to cure.
There is no known way to prevent vitiligo.
There are no proven home remedies to cure vitiligo, but the use of sunscreens as well as makeup or dyes to cover the light areas of skin may improve appearance.
*What is vitiligo?*
Vitiligo is a disorder in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. This happens because the cells that make pigment (color) in the skin are destroyed. These cells are called melanocytes (ma-LAN-o-sites). Vitiligo can also affect the mucous membranes (such as the tissue inside the mouth and nose) and the eye.
*What causes vitiligo?*
The cause is not known. Vitiligo may be an autoimmune disease. These diseases happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In vitiligo, the immune system may destroy the melanocytes in the skin. It is also possible that one or more genes may make a person more likely to get the disorder.Some researchers think that the melanocytes destroy themselves. Others think that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress can cause vitiligo. But these events have not been proven to cause vitiligo.
*Who is affected by vitiligo?*
Many people develop it in their twenties, but it can occur at any age. The disorder affects all races and both sexes equally, however, it is more noticeable in people with dark skin.People with certain autoimmune diseases (such as hyperthyroidism) are more likely to get vitiligo than people who don't have any autoimmune diseases. Scientists do not know why vitiligo is connected with these diseases. However, most people with vitiligo have no other autoimmune disease.
Vitiligo may also run in families. Children whose parents have the disorder are more likely to develop vitiligo. However, most children will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it.