About Vitiligo:
Vitiligo medically known as achromia, which means loss of color. Vitiligo is a disorder in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. Vitiligo is more commonly known as leucoderma, which simply means white (leuco) skin (derma), i.e. a skin disorder where it loses its normal coloration. This happens because the cells that make pigment (color) in the skin are destroyed.Basically, Vitiligo can hardly be called as a disease but a skin- disorder that has more social than medical significance, especially amongst the dark skin people. Due to retarded melanin formation, there is loss of pigmentation. The Vitiligo sufferers are observed all over the world, including the white skin communities. Males and females are affected equally, inclusive of children age group. It may begin at any age. Childhood vitiligo is not uncommon.
What Causes Vitiligo?
The exact cause for the pigmentary disorder remains unknown. However, there are theories suggesting autoimmune link, hormonal connection, genetic tendencies, etc. Vitiligo may be an autoimmune disease. These diseases happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In vitiligo, the immune system may destroy the melanocytes in the skin. The familial incidence is almost 20 to 30%.
