The disorder often begins early in life, with 25 percent of cases occurring in children younger than 10 years old, one-half happening in kids and teens younger than age 20 and up to 80 percent striking before age Promising research is underway examining the genetic roots of vitiligo and testing compounds and treatments that may interrupt the autoimmune response, inflammation and the destruction of melanocytes.
Areas of current vitiligo research include: In addition to the investigation of these novel treatments, much of the latest vitiligo research has focused on gaining a better understanding of the genes involved with how the condition starts in the first place. By doing so, researchers hope to get closer to developing a treatment that prevents vitiligo from occurring or spreading.
And, since something in the environment is responsible for triggering vitiligo as people are not born with the condition , researchers have also focused on understanding what those triggers are and why they incite such a response within the cells. While some people with vitiligo seek treatment to cover up or repigment their skin, others choose to embrace the condition however it shows up. Ash Soto falls into that camp. The twentysomething from Orlando, Florida, documents her experience with vitiligo on her Instagram page , which is , followers strong.
Soto was diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of 12 after she saw a white spot on her neck and then noticed another one appear within a few months. Soto admits she was teased at school for the way her skin looked and says her vitiligo hurt her self-esteem and made her feel insecure. By her late teens, however, she had decided to embrace her skin and use it as a canvas for art, which she shares photos of on Instagram.
Her photos are accompanied by inspirational captions that promote a love-yourself mentality. The body positive movement is all about self-acceptance, so it has been a natural fit for people who want to embrace their vitiligo, noted an article published in in the journal Feminist Media Studies. He explains that lower self-esteem is a common yet unfortunate side effect of vitiligo. Then click on the treatments tab to review the options available to you. American Vitiligo Research Foundation.
Stella Pavlides started this charitable foundation in and has continued to run it since. Pavlides acknowledges that the condition can lead to bullying and insensitive comments from others, which makes it difficult to live with, especially for children.
Her goal is to build public awareness of vitiligo, promote inclusion, and raise the spirits of those afflicted. The Foundation supports vitiligo research, hosts events, and shares information about vitiligo on its website. Vitiligo Support International. The nonprofit organization promotes vitiligo research and treatment options. The treatments section of the site is particularly useful and outlines traditional options, including topical and surgical therapies, as well as more homeopathic ones.
Learn more about over autoimmune diseases , including symptoms and how to get a diagnosis, on the website of this education and advocacy organization. Living Dappled. Erika Page, editor in chief of Living Dappled, shows you. She puts a refreshingly positive spin on living with vitiligo and fills the site with news about the condition, as well as practical tips about how to manage the condition every day. This blog is run and written by John E. Harris shares his takes on new treatments, unanswered research questions, and what's going on in the vitiligo community.
Daily Strength. Daily Strength hosts support groups for many different types of health issues and conditions. The vitiligo page offers a place for people with vitiligo to connect about their experience and discuss everything from treatments that have worked for them to worries and fears about managing the condition. Interested in connecting with other people with vitiligo? Vitiligo Friends. Vitiligo Friends is a network of more than 7, members. The online community has been active for 12 years.
AAD Camp Discovery. This weeklong camp from the American Academy of Dermatology is open to children between ages 8 and 16 who have a chronic skin condition, such as vitiligo, alopecia, or psoriasis.
All fees for camp, including transportation, are covered by the AAD. A dermatologist's referral is needed to attend. In , camp was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. But usually, AAD Camp Discovery takes place in five locations each summer and gives children the opportunity to swim, fish, horseback ride, and have fun.
She has a following of more than , people and fills her posts with inspirational captions and photos that present her body as a work of art. With additional reporting by Sari Harrar. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: September 4, People can develop vitiligo at any age, but approximately one-half of cases are diagnosed either in childhood or before someone turns The first signs of vitiligo are white patches on the skin, which can develop anywhere on the body, including on the face, arms, hands, genitals, and buttocks.
What are the symptoms of vitiligo? The most common symptom of vitiligo is light or depigmented spots on the skin. Other vitiligo symptoms include: hair turning gray or white prematurely, eyelashes or eyebrows losing color, change of color in the retina of the eye, and color loss in the nose and mouth.
Can vitiligo be cured? No, there is currently not a cure for vitiligo. There are some medicines that can help restore some skin color in some cases, but their effectiveness depends on the individual case and how severe pigmentation loss is. In a small number of cases, light and laser therapies have been effective in returning skin color in people with vitiligo.
Can you die from vitiligo? People with vitiligo also tend to be more likely to have another autoimmune disease like thyroid disorders and some types of anemia. This procedure is not very common, because it takes time and can result in scarring in the area where the skin came from and the area where it is placed. Blister grafting involves producing a blister on normal skin using suction. The top of the blister is then removed and placed on an area where pigment has been lost.
There is a lower risk of scarring. Surgery is used to implant pigment into the skin. It works best around the lips, especially in people with darker skin. Drawbacks can include difficulty matching the color of skin and the fact that tattoos fade but do not tan. Sometimes, skin damage caused by tattooing can trigger another patch of vitiligo. It can appear at any age, but studies suggest that it is more likely to start around the age of 20 years.
The only symptom of vitiligo is the appearance of flat white spots or patches on the skin. The first white spot that becomes noticeable is often in an area that tends to be exposed to the sun. It starts as a simple spot, a little paler than the rest of the skin, but as time passes, this spot becomes paler until it turns white. The patches are irregular in shape. At times, the edges can become a little inflamed with a slight red tone, sometimes resulting in itchiness.
Normally, however, it does not cause any discomfort, irritation, soreness, or dryness in the skin. The effects of vitiligo vary between people. Some people may have only a handful of white dots that develop no further, while others develop larger white patches that join together and affect larger areas of skin.
If the first white patches are symmetrical, this suggests a type of vitiligo known as non-segmental vitiligo. The development will be slower than if the patches are in only one area of the body. The patches often appear equally on both sides of the body, with some measure of symmetry. They often appear on skin that is commonly exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, and hands.
Segmental vitiligo spreads more rapidly but is considered more constant and stable and less erratic than the non-segmental type. It is much less common and affects only about 10 percent of people with vitiligo. It is non-symetrical. It is more noticeable in early age groups, affecting about 30 percent of children diagnosed with vitiligo.
Segmental vitiligo usually affects areas of skin attached to nerves arising in the dorsal roots of the spine. It responds well to topical treatments. Vitiligo does not develop into other diseases, but people with the condition are more likely to experience:. Most people with vitiligo do not have these conditions, but tests may be done to rule them out. If the skin patches are visible, the social stigma of vitiligo can be difficult to cope with.
Embarrassment can lead to problems with self-esteem, and in some cases, anxiety and depression can result. People with darker skin are more likely to experience difficulties, because the contrast is greater. Increasing awareness about vitiligo, for example, by talking to friends about it, can help people with the condition to overcome these difficulties.
Connecting with other who have vitiligo may also help. Anyone with this condition who experiences symptoms of anxiety and depression should ask their dermatologist to recommend someone who can help. Pigmentation is what affects the color of skin. It's caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin. Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases.
The pale areas of skin are more vulnerable to sunburn, so it's important to take extra care when in the sun and use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor SPF. It can also sometimes develop where there are hair roots, such as on your scalp. The lack of melanin in your skin can turn the hair in the affected area white or grey. Vitiligo often starts as a pale patch of skin that gradually turns completely white. The centre of a patch may be white, with paler skin around it.
If there are blood vessels under the skin, the patch may be slightly pink, rather than white. The edges of the patch may be smooth or irregular. They're sometimes red and inflamed, or there's brownish discolouration hyperpigmentation. Vitiligo does not cause discomfort to your skin, such as dryness, but the patches may occasionally be itchy. The condition varies from person to person.
Some people only get a few small, white patches, but others get bigger white patches that join up across large areas of their skin. There's no way of predicting how much skin will be affected. The white patches are usually permanent. In rare cases, it's possible for vitiligo to affect your whole body. This is known as universal or complete vitiligo. In non-segmental vitiligo also called bilateral or generalised vitiligo , the symptoms often appear on both sides of your body as symmetrical white patches.
Non-segmental vitiligo is the most common type of vitiligo, affecting around 9 in 10 people with the condition. In segmental vitiligo also known as unilateral or localised vitiligo , the white patches only affect one area of your body. Segmental vitiligo is less common than non-segmental vitiligo, although it's more common in children. It usually starts earlier and affects 3 in 10 children with vitiligo.
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