Vitiligo is a pathology characterized by discoloration of the epidermis. Light spots appear on the skin (usually of irregular, arbitrary shape), which remain so forever and do not restore their color. The darker the skin, the more noticeable the effect.
Vitiligo is localized in any place - on the arms, legs, trunk, face, scalp and even in the mouth. Moreover, it is impossible to predict the localization - the color of the skin is lost without any logic.
Features of vitiligo
This disease:
not contagious - with any contact it is impossible to get infected with it;
does not pose any danger to life - all problems are of an aesthetic nature;
is not infectious.
You should definitely not be afraid of people with such a feature, and if it manifests itself in you, then nothing threatens your life and health. True, you still need to see a doctor and check the main indicators of the body.
Causes and main manifestations
At the moment, medicine is not 100% aware of the causes of vitiligo. But there is an understanding of how this process takes place. Special melanocyte cells and the amount of melanin in them are responsible for the color of our skin. When these cells begin to die, the skin patches are replenished.
The factors that trigger this process are still in question. But doctors suggest that the following factors contribute to this:
autoimmune problems. It is assumed that melanin is destroyed for some reason by the protective cells of its own body;
genetic factor. Often, vitiligo syndrome is observed in children and grandchildren of those people who suffered from this pathology;
serious stress, which can give absolutely any failure in the body;
severe skin exposure, such as contact with severe chemicals or sunburn.
Often it is not possible to establish the cause of the manifestation, but doctors try to at least exclude some factors so that there are no other problems in the body.
Can Vitiligo Be Cured?
The doctor can give specific predictions in the course of treatment, when it will be seen how the chosen scheme works. But remember that the existing spots will not completely disappear and relapses are always possible.