Vitiligo also know as leucoderma is caused by the malfunctioning of the immune system. The immune system starts producing antibodies and these antibodies attack on melanocytes, which produce melanin (pigment that give skin its color). This all results in white patches, which may enlarge and increase in number. It is also observed that in some cases that the condition may be stabilized and then startup again at any time.
This disease is more common in America then in other parts of the world as it affects one to two percent of Americans. This skin disorder is less obvious in people with light skin whereas it is found to be traumatic for people with dark complexion because of its prominence. This skin disorder is most likely to develop before the age of twenty but it can start at any stage of life regardless of gender, race or complexion.
It is also found that this skin disorder is related with other autoimmune diseases and thirty percent of the women with vitiligo develop thyroid disease. People with vitiligo also have an increased risk of pernicious anemia or Addison’s disease.
Precautions that a people with vitiligo must take include protecting their skin from sun because without the protection of melanin the affected patches of the skin can become severely sunburned. They can use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30 on the skin that is exposed to sunlight and people with more sensitive skin can use a sunscreen with a higher sun protection factor. They can also wear clothes that cover most parts of the body like wearing full sleeves instead of half sleeves, full pants instead of shorts and by wearing hats with a wider brim. Now a days sun protective clothing is also available which helps in protecting the skin from harmful UV rays, companies like Slumbra and Sun Solutions are proving such products.
