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.
What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. This type of disease develops when your immune system attacks part of your own body. If you have vitiligo, your immune system attacks cells in your body called melanocytes.
Anyone can get vitiligo, and it can develop at any age. However, for many people with vitiligo, the white patches begin to appear before age 20, and can start in early childhood.
There is currently no cure for vitiligo and no way to prevent the condition. If a person decides to pursue treatment, the aim is generally to restore pigment and prevent depigmentation from affecting more skin. Limiting sun exposure is one of the most effective ways to prevent depigmentation and damage.
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.
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 .
Vitiligo is associated with other autoimmune diseases: Addison disease (disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones) Thyroid disease. Pernicious anemia (decrease in red blood cells that occurs when the intestines cannot properly absorb vitamin B12)
Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions. Calcipotriol and tacalcitol, which are vitamin D analogs, are also known to induce repigmentation in patients with vitiligo [13,14].
Vitamin D is probably the most common, because many of us are deficient in this vitamin, and vitiligo patients may be more so because of their need to avoid the sun to prevent burning of their sensitive white spots.
How Is Vitiligo Treated? There is no "cure" for vitiligo. Sometimes patches go away on their own.
Vitiligo typically begins on your hands, forearms, feet and face, but can develop on any part of your body, including your mucous membranes (the moist lining of your mouth, nose, genital and rectal areas), your eyes and inner ears.
Vitiligo causes are unknown but hereditary is the top most contributing factor. A person having the tendency to develop vitiligo can suffer from this disorder when any of the following triggering factors come into action like emotional stress, anxiety or fear.
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).
However, vitamin C is still considered to be able to increase melanin levels. For a vitamin C boost, you can eat foods rich in vitamin C like citrus, berries, and green leafy vegetables that can optimize melanin production. Taking a vitamin C supplement has a similar effect.
Vitamin C is not used and is contraindicated in treating vitiligo as it disrupts the melanin production pathways [21]. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that absorbs substances like calcium and magnesium.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
However, vitiligo is not caused by a vitamin deficiency and therefore CANNOT BE cured by vitamins alone. Vitamin supplements can have an opposite effect: for example, an excessive intake of Vitamin C can worsen vitiligo symptoms, so keep it at normal levels.
Avoid sour food
The sourness of the food may potentially inhibit the production of melanin due to its acidic nature. Patients with vitiligo are suggested to refrain from eating citrus fruits, sour yogurt, sour pickles, and other sour foods. However, ripe fruits that are rich in vitamin C may be consumed.
It is also advised to avoid milk and milk products to some extent as milk protein may reduce the re-pigmentation cycle. Black/Red gram or Desi-chana (Chickpeas), Black dates, Red Radish, Beetroot and Carrot are helpful in Vitiligo and considered as Vitiligo diet.
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.
But overall the take home message is that having vitiligo does not mean your immune system is weak, or that you are more likely to get an infection. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
As non-segmental vitiligo is closely associated with other autoimmune conditions, you may be assessed to see whether you have any symptoms that could suggest an autoimmune condition, such as: being tired and lacking energy (signs of Addison's disease) being thirsty and needing to urinate often (signs of diabetes)