Vitiligo (pronounced: vittle-EYE-go) is a skin disorder that causes depigmentation (loss of skin color) in irregular patchy patterns. The disorder itself is rare, affecting only about 0.5% to 1% of the world’s population.
How commonly does vitiligo occur?
Vitiligo is a common disorder, affecting between 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the population worldwide. While the condition may be more noticeable in dark-skinned people, it occurs with similar frequency in all ethnic groups.
Can vitiligo go away?
No treatments can cure vitiligo. For most people, the goal of treatment is to stop vitiligo from spreading and to bring color back to affected areas of skin. The existing treatments can help, but it is rare for them to make vitiligo go away permanently.
Can you randomly get vitiligo?
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, although most experts believe that it is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys certain cells within the body. Most people who have vitiligo will develop the condition prior to age 40; about half develop it before age 20.
Can I marry a girl with vitiligo?
This is seriously felt among young unmarried women. This is so because of arranged marriages. Thus an young woman with vitiligo has little chance of getting married. A married women developing vitiligo after marriage shall have marital problems perhaps ending in divorce.
Has anyone been cured of vitiligo?
Affecting approximately 1% of the population, vitiligo can be an emotionally and socially devastating disease. Particularly frustrating to many is its unpredictable progression, which can be slow or rapid. Thus far, there is no cure for vitiligo.
Where does vitiligo start?
Vitiligo typically begins on the hands, forearms, feet, and face but can develop on any part of the body, including the mucous membranes (moist lining of the mouth, nose, genital, and rectal areas), the eyes, and inner ears.
At what age vitiligo starts?
Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually appears before age 30. Depending on the type of vitiligo you have, it may affect: Nearly all skin surfaces. With this type, called universal vitiligo, the discoloration affects nearly all skin surfaces.
What happens if vitiligo is left untreated?
If vitiligo is not treated, it may spread extensively to involve various skin areas. Rarely, some patches may go away or decrease in size. Although vitiligo is neither dangerous nor it causes symptoms, such as pain or itch, the sufferers may be upset and stressed because of the way their skin appears.
What does vitiligo look like when it first starts?
Loss of skin color in patches, usually seen first on your face, hands, arms, legs, and feet. Premature whitening of your body hair, including facial hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Loss of color of the tissues inside your nose. Changes in or loss of color in your eyes.
What are the medical conditions that cause vitiligo?
Vitiligo is more common among people with certain medical conditions, including autoimmune disorders, thyroid problems, pernicious anemia, diabetes, and Addison’s disease. Vitiligo affects millions of people of all skin colors and races worldwide, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
How many people in the United States have vitiligo?
Consult your dermatologist for more information about this disease. Between one and two million people in the United States have vitiligo. People of all races and population groups are affected by vitiligo. Both men and women can develop vitiligo.
How old do you have to be to get vitiligo?
Both men and women can develop vitiligo. Most people develop vitiligo before they reach age 40; this is one reason why doctors may ask about one trait of vitiligo, hair that turns prematurely grey, when working on a diagnosis. Vitiligo is more common among people with certain medical conditions,…
Which is the most common class of non segmental vitiligo?
Classes of non-segmental vitiligo include the following: Generalized vitiligo: the most common pattern, wide and randomly distributed areas of depigmentation Focal vitiligo: one or a few scattered macules in one area, most common in children Segmental vitiligo (SV) differs in appearance, cause, and frequency of associated illnesses.
