How do you get Vitiligo?

A persistent question with people diagnosed with this condition is how do you get vitiligo? The most sincere answer is no one knows. Doctors know the mechanism involved in losing pigment in different parts of your body, but as of now they do not know how the process begins. The condition affects one to two percent of the population around the world or close to 70 million people.

Who gets vitiligo? Just as the previous question the answer is not known. What doctors do know is vitiligo affects every race and gender equally and it generally strikes people under the age 20 and 30. People who have family members with vitiligo have a slightly higher risk as well as those with different autoimmune disorder.

How do dermatologists diagnose vitiligo? Your dermatologist is the best source to answer the question of how do you get vitiligo? Even though they might not be able to give you the right answer at this time they can be a great source of reliable information. A dermatologist will determine if you have vitiligo after reviewing your medical and family history as well as performing physical examinations including blood tests. Once you have been diagnosed your dermatologist will give you a prognosis based on the type of vitiligo you happen to have.

What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is the result of your melanocytes not being able to produce melanin. Without melanin your skin loses pigment, this causes patches of skin that are lighter than your normal skin color. It is believed vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder or a malfunction of the nervous system. These hypotheses can be true in some instances but it is not always the case. Some of the theories are: Autoimmune this is when your immune system starts attacking your melanocytes Neurogenic factors a toxic substance released by your nervous system can damage the melanocytes Genetics factors such as heredity or trait can make some people more susceptible to vitiligo Self-destruction in some instances melanocytes destroy themselves Other possible factors include traumatic and stressful events.

Types of vitiligo Although there are different types of vitiligo the most common types are classified as segmental or unilateral vitiligo and non-segmental or bilateral and generalized vitiligo. Segmental starts at an early age and appears on one segment of the body, meaning the symptoms appear on the right or left side of the body. The progression generally lasts about a year but this is not always the case. Non-segmental this type of vitiligo appears on both sides of the body. It can stop and begin at any time throughout a persons life making it hard to accurately prognosticate. Pigment loss can expand covering a large portion of the body. The progressive nature of vitiligo makes it necessary to revaluate your initial diagnosis. Whether the disease is progressing or it is in remission talk to your doctor to find out what is happening with your particular case of vitiligo.

Outlook The answer to the question how do you get vitiligo is not easily answered, what you can do if you have been diagnosed is stay informed about the latest development about the disease from reliable source. The outlook for vitiligo is very hard to predict because there are people who have overcome the disease and those who are still living with it. Currently there are many forms of therapy which make it possible to pigment areas of your body that have lost color. The key is not giving up and always looking for a solution, if that is your wish.