The destruction of the melanocytes in vitiligo is responsible for giving the appearance of white patches on the skin. There speculated causes of vitiligo but no one has yet able to pinpoint the exact cause of this condition. The causes are believed to include an autoimmnune disease that causes the destruction of the melanocytes, ‘cell suicide’ which involves a disorder that the disorder arising from the melanocytes themselves, chronic stress and sunburn.
The vitiligo starts from small patches and they go larger and spread throughout the body over the years. Although in some people it can be a fast spreading condition. These skin patches are commonly found in the areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun like the face, hand and feet.
It is important that a doctor assessment be done to reach a proper diagnosis of vitiligo. The vitligo treatment used will depend on how big the affected area is and also it can be expensive, therefore may also depend upon the patient’s budget. One of the first management that your doctor will advise is the use of steroid therapy or immunomodulators but they are known to be not very effective and with higher risks of getting side effects. Ask your doctor for more vitiligo treatment options.
