Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition that causes loss of pigment , resulting in irregular pale patches of skin. The disease causes destruction or loss of function of melanocytes in the skin, mucous membranes, eyes, inner ear, and occasionally in hair bulbs. If the cells that produce melanin die or no longer form melanin, slowly growing white patches of irregular shapes appear on your skin. Common sites are exposed areas (face, neck, eyes, nostrils, nipples, navel, genitalia), body folds (armpits, groin), sites of injury (cuts, scrapes, burns) and around pigmented moles ( halo naevi ). There is some evidence suggesting it is caused by a combination of auto-immune , genetic , and environmental factors. The population incidence in the United States is considered to be between 1% and 2%. Vitiligo usually starts as small areas of pigment loss that spread and become larger with time. These changes in your skin can result in stress and worries about your appearance. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo may also turn white.

Vitiligo is a skin condition whose exact cause is unknown. It is an acquired progressive disorder in which some or all of the melanocytes in the interfollicular epidermis, and occasionally those in the hair follicles, are selectively destroyed. This is the dye-like substance in the skin cells (melanocytes) that gives skin colour and protects it from the sun's rays. In some people only a few small, white patches will appear and progress no further, whereas in others the patches may get bigger and join up across large areas of the skin. About 1 in 100 people in the UK develop vitiligo. The condition can occur at any age, but begins before the age of 20 in about half of all cases. Both men and women are equally affected. Another theory is that melanocytes destroy themselves. Finally, some people have reported that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress triggered vitiligo however, these events have not been scientifically proven to cause vitiligo.

Causes of Vitiligo

The common Causes of Vitiligo :

Patients with vitiligo are sensitive to free radicals and need aggressive vitamin therapy, see below.
Diseases such as Diabetes.
Vitiligo sometimes runs in families, meaning that a genetic factor may be involved.
Physical Illness.
Vitiligo sometimes occurs at the site of an old injury.

Symptoms of Vitiligo

Some Symptoms of Vitiligo :

Sudden or gradual appearance of flat areas of normal-feeling skin with complete pigment loss.
Family history of vitiligo .
White hairs within depigmented patches.
Chalk white patches of skin often located symmetrically on both sides of the body.

Treatment of Vitiligo

Topical Psoralen Photochemotherapy
Oral medications, such as Trisoralen (trimethylpsoralen).
Exposure to intense ultraviolet light, such as narrow-band UVB therapy.
Topical Steroid Therapy.
Vitamin D ointment by prescription can help some people with vitiligo.
Tacrolimus ointment .1% for 6 months will help many people with vitiligo. This medication also requires a prescription.

Nails Care

Anychia
Clawing of the Nails
Clubbing
Discoloration of the Nail Plate
Ingrowing Toe Nail
Koilonychia
Longitudinal Striations
Loss of Nail Plate
Onycholysis
Paronychia
Pitting of Nail Plates
Pterygium
Thickening of Nail Plate
Transverse Ridges

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