Vit
ili
go
Wha
t is
vitili
go?
Vitiligo is a condition that
causes
depigmentation of
patches of skin. It
occurs when
melanocytes (the cells
responsible for skin
pigmentation) die or
are unable to function.
Vitiligo is also called white spot
disease and leukoderma.
Wha
t
caus
es
vitili
go?
The cause of vitiligo is
unknown, but
research suggests
that it may arise from
autoimmune, genetic,
oxidative stress,
neural, or vital
causes.
Tanning also causes
vitiligo!
Signs
and
Sympto
ms
The main sign of vitiligo
is pigment loss that
produces milky-white
patches on your skin.
Other less common signs
include:
-Premature
whitening or graying of the
hair on your scalp,
eyelashes, eyebrows or
beard.
-Loss of color in
the tissues that line the
inside of your mouth
(mucous membranes).
-Loss or change
in the color of the inner layer
of your eye (retina).
Wha
t is
the
treat
ment
for
vitili
go?
Depending on the severity of the condition, the treatment method may vary. Treatment methods include:

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Second level

Avoidance of tanning. For fair-skinned individuals, avoiding tanning of normal skin can make the areas of vitiligo almost unnoticeable.

Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
Third level
Fourth level
Use a cosmetic cover-up solution. Make-up, self-tanning compounds with dihydroxyacetone, and dyes (such as Covermark, Walnut
Fifth level
Stain, Vita Dye or Dermablend) help temporarily conceal the white patches
of vitiligo.

Repigmentation. The restoration of the normal pigment and can be achieved with repigmentation therapy or corticosteroids. To get
repigmentation, new pigment cells must be produced from existing ones, such as ones found at the base of hair follicles, from the edge of
the patch or from the patch itself if depigmentation is not complete.

In repigmentation therapy, a patient is given a psoralen drug (orally) and then is exposed to ultraviolet light in the doctor's office. This
therapy is called PUVA. When psoralen drugs are activated by the light, they stimulate repigmentation by increasing the availability of
color-producing cells at the skin's surface.

Depigmentation is the destruction of the remaining melanocytes. Patients with vitiligo over half of their exposed body may want to
consider using this method. A bleaching chemical called monobenzylether of hydroquinone (Benzoquin) is applied to normally pigmented
skin. Treatment may take up to one year.

Vitil
igo's
Emo
tion
al
Imp
act
Many individuals with
vitiligo become
distressed because of
their appearance. This
can in turn be bad for
the affected individual
because stress can
cause more vitiligo
spots to appear.
Quic
k
Fact
s




Vitiligo affects both
sexes and all races, but
is often more noticeable
and more disfiguring in
people with darker skin.
Vitiligo usually starts as
small areas of pigment
loss that spread and
become larger with
time.
Half of people with
vitiligo develop patches
of depigmented skin
appearing on
extremities before their
20s.
Small areas of vitiligo
may repigment as
melanocytes appear.
S
o
ur
ce
s
Information
http://www.dermalight80.com/disease-vitiligo.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitiligo
http://www.vitiligoguide.com/vitiligo-skin/
http://vitiligo-vitilem.eu/?lang=en
Http://wisegeek.com/what-is-vitiligo.htm
http://www.healthcentral.com/encyclopedia/408/255.ht
ml
Pictures
http://healthfiles.net/disease/vitiligo/
http://effectivevitiligotreatment.blogspot.com/
http://vitiligo-vitilem.eu/?lang=en
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/vitiligo.html
http://www.vitiligoskindisorder.com/more/vitiligo/
http://www.vitiligos.com/people-with-vitiligo/famous-people/