Vitiligo is a skin condition characterized by the loss of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. This results in white patches on the skin, often starting in areas such as the hands, forearms, feet, and face.

Is Vitiligo Dangerous? Although vitiligo is not usually life-threatening, it can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.

That’s why many people resort to using cosmetics to hide the skin spots.

Vitiligo affects 1% of the population and is thought to be caused by an autoimmune disease that attacks melanin-producing cells.

Certain inherited genes, environmental factors, and stresses can play a role in the development of the disease.

Understanding the Nature of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a chronic disease that affects the body’s cells that produce melanin, causing changes in the color of the skin, hair, and eyes.

Although the causes of vitiligo are not exactly clear, it is believed that it is due to the following factors:

• Autoimmune disorders: The immune system attacks the cells that produce melanin.
• Family history: People who belong to families in which the disease appears are more susceptible to it.

Factors that stimulate the appearance of the disease include, stress and exposure to sunburn.

Symptoms of vitiligo:

• Milky white patches appear on the skin, especially on the hands, feet, arms and face.
• Hair turns white in areas where the skin loses pigment, whether on the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard and other areas of the body.
• Loss of color in the mucous membranes, such as inside the mouth or nose.

People with vitiligo may also experience:

• Low self-esteem because of their appearance, which affects their quality of life.
• Uveitis, which is inflammation or swelling of the eye.
• Ear infections.

Treatment of vitiligo:

There is no effective treatment for vitiligo, but existing treatments aim to stop the development of the disease, reverse its effects, and hide the symptoms.

Vitiligo affects about 1% of people of different races, but it is more noticeable the darker the skin. (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 2022)

Potential Health Risks Associated With Vitiligo

Is vitiligo dangerous? Although vitiligo is not life-threatening, it can significantly affect the quality of life of the patient.

The risks associated with vitiligo include:

• Psychological distress: Due to the nature of the disease, how it appears, and society’s view of those affected by it, which causes the patient to feel anxious and depressed and lowers his self-esteem.
• Sunburn: Skin affected by vitiligo is more susceptible to sunburn because the melanin pigment it lacks is what protects the skin from the effects of ultraviolet rays.
• Eye inflammation: People with vitiligo are more susceptible to eye inflammation, such as iritis or uveitis.
• Hearing loss: Some people with vitiligo suffer from hearing loss, because of loss of cochlear melanocytes.
• Other autoimmune diseases: People with vitiligo are at increased risk of developing other autoimmune diseases such as Addison’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. (StatPeearls, 2023)

Managing Emotional and Social Challenges

Having vitiligo is something that must be accepted and the emotional and social challenges that the disease causes must be dealt with.

This can be done by:

• Challenge the negative image that you or others paint of yourself and fully accept your condition.
• Focus on your strengths that go beyond your appearance.
• Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.
• Practice activities that can improve your body image, such as sports that improve your fitness.
• Join support groups that include people with vitiligo and expand your circle of acquaintances.
• Seek medical help from specialists, whether regarding psychological support or how to manage the symptoms of the disease.

• Practice deep breathing, meditation and yoga to manage stress.
• Live a healthy life through proper nutrition, exercise and good sleep.
• Find your inner creative expression whether it is writing, drawing or music.
• Try to raise awareness about vitiligo.
• You can use white spot concealer creams if you wish.
• Learn how to deal with curious comments with confidence.
• Celebrate diversity and difference, look to successful people with this condition and remember that beauty comes in many forms.

Now, is vitiligo dangerous? The answer is no, as long as you know how to deal with it and manage it on both the physical and emotional levels.

Read Also: Symptoms of Skin Cancer on The Scalp

References

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. (2022). Retrieved from Vitiligo
• StatPeearls. (2023). Retrieved from Vitiligo