What are the causes of vitiligo? You may think about the answer to this question, when you feel that others are avoiding you, especially in your daily transactions, such as shaking hands, or exchanging money.

About 1% of the population suffers from vitiligo, globally, and many people with Vitiligo feel embarrassed, and sometimes these feelings turn into depression, due to the alienation of people around them.

So if you are looking for the answer to this question, and would like to know how Vitiligo can be treated, and whether it is contagious or not, follow this article with us.

ما هو مرض البهاق؟

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease and skin condition that causes areas of skin to lose color, resulting in white patches, and in some cases most or all of the skin becomes white.

This occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the skin cells that produce color or pigment, known as melanocytes, turning the affected skin milky white.

The total area of ​​skin affected by Vitiligo varies from person to person.

It is difficult to predict whether these spots will spread, and how far they will spread. It may take weeks to spread, or the spots may remain constant for months or years.

Vitiligo can affect any area of ​​the body, but it usually occurs on the face, hands, neck, and in skin folds.

Areas affected by vitiligo are more sensitive to sunlight than unaffected areas.

Types of vitiligo

The type of Vitiligo can be determined according to the following: –

• Appearance of spots.
• The extent of its coverage of the body.
• The extent of its spread.

There are three main types of Vitiligo, such as: –

Segmental vitiligo

It is also known as unilateral, or localized, vitiligo, due to the effect of white spots on only one side of the body, such as: –

• One leg.
• One arm.
• One side of the face.

Segmental vitiligo is less common in adults than non-segmental vitiligo, but is more common in children, begins earlier, and affects about three in ten children.

This type of Vitiligo often lasts for 6 to 24 months, then stabilizes, but it can develop again at any time, and more quickly than non-deterministic Vitiligo.

Non-segmental vitiligo

The most common type, in which a person develops symmetrical white spots on both sides of the body, develops more slowly than segmental vitiligo.

Also known as bilateral or general vitiligo, it is a condition in which the skin, hair, and mucous membranes gradually lose their pigment, and there are subtypes of it, such as: –

Focal vitiligo

It is a rare type, in which the spots develop in a small area, do not spread, and usually remain the same size for at least one or two years.

Facial vitiligo

This type affects the following: –

• الوجه.
• اليدين.
• scalp.
• About the genitals.
• القدمين.

Generalized vitiligo

It is the most common type, and this type does not have specific areas or sizes of spots, as it causes scattered spots in different areas of the body.

Mucous vitiligo

This type often appears around the mucous membranes and lips.

Mixed vitiligo

This type is also a mixed type, and it can cause a person to have both segmental and non-segmental Vitiligo.

Rare variants

This type includes both small spots on the skin (dotted Vitiligo), and follicular vitiligo that affects the hair.

Universal vitiligo

This type is rare and can affect your entire body.

Therefore, determining the type of vitiligo and the causes of vitiligo can help you find the best treatment for your condition.

Symptoms of vitiligo

تشمل Symptoms of vitiligo الآتي: –

• Patches on the skin or mucous membranes that may appear white or lighter than your normal skin color.
• Itchy skin before the pigmentation process begins.
• The hair color in the affected area turns white or grey.

You may also suffer from some symptoms of autoimmune diseases, which are one of the causes of vitiligo, such as: –

• تضخم الغدة الدرقية.
• Hair loss in patches.
• anemia (الأنيميا).
• Premature greying.
• الضعف.
• Severe weight loss.

Symptoms of vitiligo in children

Children can develop Vitiligo, especially segmental vitiligo.

1. Premature greying.
2. Loss of pigment on the lips.

Causes of vitiligo

A lack of pigment in the skin (melanin) causes vitiligo, but the reason for this is unknown.

Research suggests that Vitiligo may be the result of: –

• An autoimmune condition

Sometimes your immune system doesn't work properly, causing it to attack your body's healthy cells and tissues instead of foreign cells, such as viruses and bacteria.

Accordingly, your immune system may attack and destroy melanocytes, resulting in Vitiligo.

Immune conditions include the following: –

• Diabetes (type 1).
• Psoriasis.
• Addison's disease.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Genetic changes

Genetic mutations, or changes in your body's DNA, can affect how melanocytes work, and there are more than 30 genes that can increase your risk of developing the disease.

• Stress

The amount of pigment produced by melanocytes can change, and this happens when you are repeatedly exposed to emotional, physical, or psychological stress.

• Oxidative stress

You can develop Vitiligo when there is an imbalance in the levels of antioxidants and free radicals.

• العوامل البيئية

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation or toxic chemicals can affect the way your melanocytes function.

Vitiligo treatment

After knowing the causes of vitiligo, and confirming that you have it, you can now, with the help of your doctor, determine the appropriate treatment for your condition.

Vitiligo does not cause harm to your physical health, but treatments that vary in effectiveness are designed to restore color to affected skin.

Treatments that dermatologists may use include: –

• العلاج بالضوء

This treatment helps restore your natural skin color. The doctor uses UVB light or a laser directed at your skin for a short period of time, and it may take several sessions to see results on your skin.

• العلاج الموضعي

Topical steroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors are sometimes effective for restoring pigment when small areas of skin are affected byالبهاق.

But these topical medications can cause some side effects, such as: –

• ضمور الجلد.
• Thinning it.
• Sagging skin.
• Stretch marks appear when these medications are used for a very long time.
• Depigmentation treatment

The doctor uses Monobenzone to remove your natural skin color, in order to match the affected areas of your skin.

You can apply this medicine to your normal skin, and this will turn it white, to match the affected areas of your skin.

• pharmaceutical

There is no specific medication to prevent Vitiligo from affecting your skin, but some medications can slow the speed of loss of pigmentation, and also help melanocytes regrow, returning color to your skin.

Vitiligo treatment medications include the following: –

• Corticosteroids.
• Calcineurin inhibitors.
• Topical Janus kinase inhibitors.
• Surgery

Your doctor may recommend surgery if treatment with medications or light therapy does not work.

Surgical treatment includes the following: –

• ترقيع الجلد

The doctor takes part of the body's skin to cover another part, but some complications can occur, such as infection, or failure of repigmentation.

• Melanocyte transplantation

The doctor takes a sample of healthy cells, then implants the pigment cells, and then transfers those pigment cells to areas devoid of pigmentation.

If you would like to know the appropriate treatment plan for you Book your consultation now at مركز الجلدية والتجميل At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.

Diagnosis of vitiligo

Your doctor can confirm that you have Vitiligo disease by doing a physical examination and reviewing your medical history.

He may also recommend that you undergo some laboratory tests, such as: –

• Wood lamp

The doctor uses Wood's lamp to determine the difference between Vitiligo and other skin diseases.

• Skin biopsy

Your doctor may take a skin sample, known as a biopsy, to see if you have pigment-producing cells in that area of ​​your body.

• فحوصات الدم

Blood tests can help diagnose other problems that may accompany Vitiligo, such as anemia, thyroid disease, and diabetes (type 1).

Frequently asked questions about vitiligo

There are many questions that you can think about when you have Vitiligo disease, such as: –

Is vitiligo hereditary?

Yes, as the results of studies have shown that about 30% of Vitiligo cases are hereditary.

Therefore, according to the results of these studies, genetic mutations are among the causes of vitiligo.

Is vitiligo contagious?

لا. لا يعد Vitiligo معديًا، ولا يمكن له أن ينتشر من شخص لآخر عن طريق الاتصال الجسدي.

Is vitiligo dangerous?

لا. لا يشكل Vitiligo خطرًا على صحتك الجسدية، ولكن إذا كنت مهتم بمظهرك، فستشعر بأنه عائق كبير بينك وبين الآخرين.

How can I be sure of vitiligo?

You can verify Vitiligo by doing the following: –

•  الفحص البدني.
• Blood tests for other autoimmune diseases.
• Wood's test, where your doctor looks at your skin under ultraviolet light. If you have Vitiligo, your affected skin will appear bright white.

The difference between vitiligo and albinism

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and this skin condition develops when the body loses pigment cells, resulting in white spots appearing on the skin in different areas of the body.

As for albinism, it is a hereditary disorder, and it develops as a result of the body not producing enough melanin pigment, which leads to the skin appearing light or white, and about 1 in every 20,000 people suffer from albinism.

The difference between Vitiligo and leprosy lies in the following: –

1. The skin of people with albinism is completely affected from birth, but white spots appear on the skin after birth in vitiligo.
2. Albinism affects hair more than Vitiligo.

In conclusion, you now understand, dear reader, what are the causes of vitiligo, what are its types, and how to treat it.

Therefore, if you suspect that you have Vitiligo disease, you must immediately go to Al Mousa Specialist Hospital, to undergo the necessary tests for you, and to determine the treatment method with the best doctors.

Sources and references

Vitiligo – cleveland clinic

Vitiligo – mayo clinic