Patch Up!

Everything you need to know about white patches or vitiligo, as it’s called, its causes and prevention...

- Sneha Sureshkumar

Vitiligo is a condition in which there is loss of normal skin colour leading to appearance of white patches on the skin and/ or mucous membranes. It occurs due to dysfunction of pigment producing cells (melanocytes) in the skin. To mark the occasion of World Vitiligo Day on 25 th June, Mumbai based dermatologist Dr Bindu Sthalekar tells us all about its causes, prevention and more. Symptoms:

Vitiligo can affect any part of the body but can be seen more commonly on sun exposed areas such as hands, arms, legs, face, lips etc.

It can also affect the mucous membranes such as the oral cavity, genitals, rectal area etc. It can affect people of any skin type but is more noticeable in people with dark skin.

Vitiligo can be accompanied by loss of colour in the hair of skin, can appear as small patches or can cover large areas of the body too.

Causes:

There are several factors that may be involved in the development of vitiligo. Genetic tendency, autoimmunity (body’s own cells attacking the melanocyte), oxidative stress, environmental factors like ultraviolet exposure, and psychological stress can all have a role to play in the development of vitiligo in an predisposed individual.

At the risk of developing skin cancer: