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Vitiligo Support Organizations (8)
NVFI, AVRF, The Vitiligo Society, more…
Vitiligo Clinics (4)
The Skin Care Centre, The London Dermatology Centre, more…
Vitiligo Books (7)
Vitiligo Products (10)
Cosmetic Camouflages (10)
Dermablend Quick Fix Concealer, Dermablend Cover Creme Foundation, more…
About Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a chronic skin disorder which is characterized by milky white patches of skin. It is also known as “Leukoderma”. The word “Leukoderma” is derived from the two Greek words “Leuko” and “Derma” which means white skin. One to two percent of the people around the world are affected by Vitiligo irrespective of age, race and sex.
Symptoms of Vitiligo
The main symptoms of Vitiligo are:
- Loss of pigmentation in the form of patches
- These patches are often surrounded by heavily pigmented border
- More noticeable in people with darker complexion because of the obvious difference of color
- Sometimes the hairs present on these depigmented patches also turn white
- These patches mostly occur on the parts of body which are frequently exposed to sunlight like face, hands, neck etc.
Diagnosis of Vitiligo
Generally, the physical examination is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. In some cases, your physician may require a skin biopsy to rule out other possible causes of loss of pigmentation. The doctor may also order blood tests to check levels of thyroid hormone or other hormones, like vitamin B12 levels.
Prognosis of Vitiligo
The course of this skin disorder is not predictable. Sometimes the disease stays stable for a long period of time and does not show any progression. However in most of the cases vitiligo starts progression and gets stable after some time.
Effects of Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a non-lethal disease. It does not cause any organic harm. Vitiligo just causes loss of melanin which in turn changes the appearance of the person. This change in appearance further affects the psychological well being of the person and creates many problems for the affected individual.
