The color of the skin is determined by a pigment known as melanin. The quantity of melanin in the skin determines how dark the skin appears. An increase in melanin concentration leads to darker skin. The color of the skin also depends on the genetics of an individual. The offspring of two light skinned individuals would also be light-skinned. The pigment producing cells in the body produce melanin which gives the skin its color.
Vitiligo is a condition where the melanin producing cells, known as melanocytes, are damaged. The skin in that area of the body will thus appear to be extremely pale. Individuals who suffer from vitiligo will have normal colored skin until they experience the first outbreak of the condition. During this outbreak, the skin will turn extremely pale in patches. The size of the vitiligo patches depends on the extent to which the patient is affected by the condition. An area affected by vitiligo does not regain its color. The most common vitiligo symptoms are a loss of color and an increase of heat and solar sensitivity of the skin. Vitiligo symptoms may also affect hair produced by skin cells that are affected by vitiligo. Hair in these areas will be white.
At the moment there is no consensus on vitiligo causes. Medical research into the various possible vitiligo causes and treatment for vitiligo continues to be undertaken. However, there has been no significant breakthrough at the moment. Scientists are mostly in agreement that there is a genetic link when it comes to vitiligo causes. However, the exact affected gene has not yet been identified. There is also a group of researchers who suggest that there is strong evidence for an auto-immune link when it comes to vitiligo skin disease. There is therefore little link between vitiligo causes and treatment.
Instead, vitiligo treatment is based purely on the appearance of symptoms. People who experience vitiligo symptoms will be treated with topical steroid creams. These have been shown to produce promising results on patients who are treated at an early stage in the condition. Once the condition progresses, the chances of treatment are greatly reduced. People with advanced vitiligo tend to have to live with the condition. The use of steroids as a treatment for vitiligo must be done under strict medical supervision. The fact that steroids have shown results suggests that there is definitely an auto-immune element associated with the development of vitiligo. Most auto immune conditions are treated with steroids as these help to suppress the activity of the immune system in the affected area.
In some cases, treatment for vitiligo may also include the use of oil that nourishes the skin. People with vitiligo often face problems when they are exposed to bright sunlight. Therefore, the use of these treatments along with sunscreen lotion has been found to be effective at preventing sun related damage. Some patients who suffer from severe vitiligo may be unable to spend any significant amount of time exposed to direct sunlight.
answered by G M