Vitiligo brings serious psychological consequences

• April 25, 2024

The legend says that Michael Jackson he had it and that was the pretext to make up the skin of his whole body. Whether true or false, the fact is that vitiligo is a disease in which the melanocytes or cells that make the melanin (the pigment of the skin that determines the color of skin, hair and eyes) are destroyed resulting in white spots .

These can appear anywhere on the body, although the most frequent places are the face , neck , eyelids , nose , nipples , belly button Y genitals ; the folds of the body as armpits and groin; places that have suffered traumatisms such as cuts, scratches, burns; around pigmented moles; the hair, appearing in the form of gray hair on the scalp or beard, and the retina of the eyes. The disease, which is benign, stands out for the frequent psychological problems that entails and that make difficult the social insertion of the patients.

Causes of vitiligo

Half of the people who develop vitiligo have some loss of pigment before age 20, and a fifth of patients have relatives with this same disease. In some individuals the white spots appear after suffering a emotional stress or a physical trauma. The cause of vitiligo It is still unknown, but it is believed that it can be caused by an immune mechanism related to the destruction of melanocytes , or by the existence of neurochemical factors released in the peripheral nerve endings, which would be responsible for the destruction of these pigment cells.

The beginning of vitiligo and its severity, in terms of the loss of pigment, varies in each person. White people notice it during the summer , since there is a marked contrast between the skin with vitiligo and the tanned skin ; while dark-skinned people can observe the beginning of vitiligo at any time. In severe cases, the pigment of almost the entire body is lost, except for the eyes. There is no way to predict how much melanin a person will lose, although it is known that some diseases and stress produce a greater pigment loss.

Development of the disease

Vitiligo usually begins with a rapid decrease in color, followed by a slower period in which the skin does not change . Later, the process begins again, many times after the individual suffers a physical trauma (like a sunburn) or psychic. The loss of melanin It may continue until, for unknown reasons, the process stops. The cycles of pigment loss, followed by periods of stability can continue indefinitely.

It is rare that a patient with vitiligo spontaneously repeats itself. Many patients who say they no longer have vitiligo are because they have completely depigmented , that is, they have turned white. These patients seem healed but the reality is that they are not.

Is there treatment for vitiligo?

Until very recently, vitiligo had a reputation for being incurable. In recent years, treatments have improved considerably, in particular, because they have been developed tanning cabins of high intensity ultraviolet A rays and also because new ones are known substances favorable to the pigmentation . By the way, Cuban medicine is one of the most advanced in the world in the treatment of vitiligo.

However, the process remains difficult and, above all, long. The results are not seen short but in the long term. There are 3 types of treatments: one that restores the pigment or favors repigmentation with radiation ultraviolet A ; the one that uses medicines that favor repigmentation, and, finally, a method that destroys the pigment or depigmentation. There are also some medications that favor pigmentation , but only one dermatologist You can prescribe them.

Are there cosmetics to hide the spots?

Some patients with vitiligo spots usually hide or camouflage certain white spots while they are undergoing certain treatment. This can be done with cosmetics specially designed for it. There are also techniques of micropigmentation (permanent makeup) that can be useful in certain situations.