More Facts About Vitiligo, An Autoimmune Disease Of The Skin

Vitiligo is detected by just examining the skin of the patient, but a skin biopsy may be required to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy is a tiny piece of tissue, in this case of skin that is surgically removed and sent to a specialist for its analysis.

Diseases related to vitiligo

Vitiligo is also related to other diseases, which include hyperthyroidism, Addison’s disease and pernicious anemia.

In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone than normal, affecting several body functions, including the activity of melanocytes.

Addison’s disease is also related to hormonal imbalances but they are caused by an alteration in the adrenal glands, which are located on the top of our kidneys. These glands control the function of the immune system; when they are affected, so is the immune system, leading to the development of autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo.

Finally, pernicious anemia is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B12. This vitamin is important in the production of red blood cells and when there is a lack of it, the number of red blood cells is decreased. The deficiency in B12 is due to a bad intestinal absorption, which can be related to a problem of autoimmunity, where the immune system attacks the lining of the intestine and destroys it. This condition, as you can read, is similar to vitiligo, which is why they tend to be related.

Can vitiligo be treated?

Vitiligo has no cure and is a very difficult disease to treat, since there is no effective treatment that can stop the loss of melanocytes and the formation of colorless skin regions. There are several options for patients though, to slow down the progression of the disease.

The skin of the patient is carefully exposed to UV light (or other type of light) to induce an increase in the production of melanin, in the melanocytes that are still functional.

Other treatments include the use of creams containing medication to reduce the immune response, which are applied directly on to the body areas affected by vitiligo.  

Micropigmentation is also used to color the light skin patches and even surgical implantation of grafts of normal colored skin on to the areas affected by the disease can be performed.

See Also: A Drug That Reverses Graying Hair And Works As A Vitiligo Treatment Coming Soon?

Living with vitiligo

Patients can experience an intense anxiety due to the development of vitiligo, which makes the disease to develop faster. Vitiligo is more visible in people with darker skin, a situation that can be difficult for patients to cope with. People with vitiligo can even experience discrimination as a result of the lack of knowledge and understanding of the disease.

It can help them in dealing with the disease and reduce their stress levels, helping at the same time in delaying the formation of colorless skin patches.