Vitiligo Disorder White Patches & Theories
White patches on the skin, premature graying of the scalp,
eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard, and sometimes a loss of color
inside the mouth--these are some of the distinct signs of
vitiligo. Some people might mistake it as a disease brought
about by too much sun exposure. While signs of this disease
commonly appear in the sun-exposed areas of the body, the cause
of vitiligo is generally unknown. Doctors and researchers have
formulated several theories....
One would be that people develop antibodies (produced by the
immune system, these are protective proteins which fight
infectious agents including bacteria and viruses) which destroy
melanocytes (special skin cells that produce melanin) in their
own bodies; two, that melanocytes destroy themselves; and three,
that a particular event, such as sunburn or emotional distress,
triggers these distress--all of which have no scientific backing
yet. Another theory says that is hereditary, making children
whose parents are affected, prone to the disorder.
This disorder affects 40 to 50 million of the world's
population, excluding no race or sex type. Majority of the
people affected by vitiligo usually develop it before turning
40. Given the shady causes of vitiligo, doctors make it a point
to find out about important factors in an affected person's
medical history--family history, a rash or a skin trauma two to
three months before depigmentation began, stress, physical
illness, and / or premature graying of the scalp. While a
scientific breakthrough is yet to be done determining the cause
of vitiligo, several preventive measures have been developed
over the years.