Michael Jackson And Vitiligo

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What is Vitiligo?

Vitiligo is the skin condition that Michael Jackson was said to be suffering from.

It is a skin pigmentation disorder of unknown etiology in which melanocytes in the affected skin are destroyed. It affects 1% of the population and approximately 30 % of vitiligo patients have a positive family history of the disorder. Although depigmentation can begin in childhood the average age of onset is 20 years.

How Does Vitiligo Look?

Vitiligo is characterized by sharply demarcated, non-scaly, non-pruritic depigmented macules and patches on the skin and mucous membranes that range from a few millimeters to several centimeters in size. In other words, patients with vitiligo develop white spots on the skin.

Where Does Vitiligo Occur?

Initial lesions of hypopigmentation in this skin disease occur most commonly on sun-exposed areas such as the face, forearms, dorsum of hands, fingers, hands, and feet.

Vitiligo has a periorificial predilection with the areas around the mouth, nose, eyes, nipples, umbilicus, and anus being affected. The axillae and genitalia are also commonly affected. Vitiligo may also develop at the sites of trauma such as cuts or burns (Koebner phenomenon).

Sweating is increased in the areas with decreased pigmentation while the hair may become depigmented. There may also be premature graying of the scalp hair, eyebrows, eyelashes and beard.

How is Vitilgo Classified?

Vitiligo can be classified as localized, generalized or universal.

Patients with localized vitiligo have unilateral depigmented areas limited to one area of the body such as one side of the face or one limb. These lesions may have a dermatomal-like distribution pattern.

Patients with generalized vitiligo have widely distributed hypopigmentation with macules and patches usually on both sides of the body. This is the most common patter and the lesions may either be symmetrically or asymmetrically arrayed.

Patients with universal vitiligo have total or almost complete depigmentation.

Though it is usually progressive, in some patients with segmental vitiligo, the hypopigmented macules and patches remain localized and do not spread.

In addition to the dermatological effects of this skin disease, vitiligo also has emotional and psychological effects. Patients particularly adolescents with this skin pigmentation disorder can experience emotional stress, develop low self-esteem, stigmatization, social anxiety and even depression, especially if the depigmented patches or white spots on the skin are on the genitals or visible areas such as the face and hands.

To learn more how the diagnosis  of vitiligo is made and the current vitiligo treatment buy Vitiligo by Dr Miriam Kinai from Amazon.