What is ‘VITILIGO’ ?

Do you have white patches (vitiligo) on your body?

Below are the things you should know about it!!

WHAT IS VITILIGO?

  • Vitiligo occurs when cells that produce normal pigmentation stop functioning or die completely. It can affect any part of the body and is more visible in people with darker skin.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VITILIGO?

  • Light patches on skin
  • Early whitening of body hair

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF VITILIGO?

  • Thyroid
  • Diabetes
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Injury to the skin
  • Hormonal changes
  • Chemical exposure
  • Mental stress
  • Auto immunity (i.e; body’s own cells destroy the normal pigment producing cells) etc

WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF VITILIGO?

  • Treatment of vitiligo is broadly divided in 3 categories
    • Treatment of underlying cause as mentioned above
    • Medications which act on immune system (Topical and oral both)
    • UVA, UVB light therapy
    • Excimer laser
    • PUVA
    • MPG (Miniature Punch Grafting) In this, small fragments of normal skin are grafted on white areas.
    • UTSG (Ultra Thickness Skin Grafting) In this, A very small layer of normal skin is grafted on white areas
    • NCECT (Non Culture Epidermal Cell Transplantation) In this, Cells are taken from the normal skin and transplanted on white spots

For more information visit your dermatologist……