Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way.
If you see white patches and spots on your skin, it's important to find out if you have vitiligo. This disease increases the risk of having some other autoimmune diseases like thyroid disease and alopecia areata. Some people develop hearing loss or a problem with their vision.
In a new research letter produced by a team of US investigators, the autoimmune skin disorder was associated with such a decreased likelihood of severe COVID-19 outcomes among infected patients that investigators suggested vitiligo may confer “protective effects against worse outcomes in a severe course” of the ...
In summary, in most cases, you are not at a higher risk of getting COVID-19 if you have vitiligo.
In the progressive phase of vitiligo, melanocyte-reactive CD8+T cells produce interferon-gamma on encountering melanocyte antigens. These induce keratinocytes to secrete CXCL 9 and CXCL 10, resulting in additional recruitment of lymphocytes to the site through the CXCR3 receptor.
But in any way you look at it, it doesn't mean that your immune system is weak because you have vitiligo. It actually means that it's a little too strong, so you are most likely NOT more susceptible to coronavirus or any other virus.
Patients with vitiligo should be regularly screened yearly for thyroid disorders.” “Also the rates of other autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata, inflammatory bowel disease, Guillain Barre, SLE (lupus), and others were observed at a much higher rate than one would expect,” Dr. Hamzavi says.
What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and it gives your skin its colour. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in your skin.
Vitiligo is epidemiologically associated with increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Addison's disease8,15.
Yes, vitiligo can be considered hereditary. Even though vitiligo is not strictly associated with family genetics, it can run in families. Approximately 30% of people with the condition will have a family history of vitiligo. Therefore, children will not get vitiligo strictly on the grounds that a parent has it.
Some wonder if the overactive nature of the immune response due to vitiligo will cause additional side effects to the vaccine, but it is unlikely because it's not the entire immune system that is hyperactive, just a small portion responsible for killing the pigment cells.
Many people with vitiligo also have thyroid disease, and autoimmunity can play a role in both conditions. However, researchers are still trying to understand the relationship.
SARS-CoV-2 infection-associated vitiligo
In fact, immune activation during COVID-19 disease might increase vitiligo disease activity through a shift toward adaptive type 1 immunity (CD8 T cells and IFNγ).
Vitiligo does not pose a serious threat to one's health, but it can result in physical complications, such as eye issues, hearing problems, and sunburn. People with vitiligo also tend to be more likely to have another autoimmune disease (like thyroid disorders and some types of anemia).
Vitiligo is generally considered to be an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and organs. In people with vitiligo the immune system appears to attack the pigment cells (melanocytes) in the skin .
Certain components of hair dye, bleaching agents, and skin-care products can set off a vitiligo flare. Marmon advises choosing products labeled hypoallergenic that are free of harsh chemicals, fragrances, and irritants.
No, vitiligo is not a form of lupus. Both are autoimmune conditions that can affect your skin. If you have one, you are more likely to get the other. But they are two different diseases with two different treatments.
Vitiligo can also affect the hair, causing white or prematurely gray hair. Some people lose some of their eye color and see light spots on the colored part of an eye. Vitiligo can also develop inside your ear and may affect your hearing.
Vitiligo usually manifests in the second or third decade of life and is believed to be an acquired condition, though a positive family history is present in 30 to 40 percent of cases. Congenital vitiligo and presentation at birth is a very rare entity, but cases in infancy have been reported.
Environmental circumstances, such as stress, a bad sunburn, skin trauma, or exposure to a strong chemical, seem to prompt vitiligo development in people who are genetically predisposed to the condition. Triggers may also cause existing vitiligo patches to spread or progress in people who already have the condition.
The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself. Treatment for vitiligo may restore color to the affected skin. But it doesn't prevent continued loss of skin color or a recurrence.
Complications of vitiligo are social stigmatization and mental stress, eye involvement like iritis, depigmented skin is more prone to sunburn, skin cancer, and hearing loss because of loss of cochlear melanocytes.
It is thought that sunlight can be both good and bad for people with vitiligo, for several different reasons. For example, on the disadvantage side, some medical experts believe it's possible that sunburn could be a trigger for developing the skin condition.