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Do you know how to recognize vitiligo? The skin condition in five questions

Nearly 1 in 100 people has vitiligo, while there are still many prejudices about it. How do you actually recognize this skin condition, and what can you do about it?

1. What is Vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a skin condition that causes white patches to appear on the skin. It can also occur in your hair or the inside of your mouth. Often it starts around the mouth or eyes and spreads to hands and skin folds.

Over time, the spots often get bigger and appear in more places. Fortunately, the disease has hardly any other symptoms or side effects. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the treatments: some therapies can cause unpleasant side effects, such as nausea, itching or an increased risk of cancer.

2. How do you get it?

Vitiligo is caused by the death or failure of pigment cells. The skin then no longer has any pigment (also called melanin) in those places, and becomes white. Pigment not only gives our skin color, it also provides protection against the sun. Do you have vitiligo? Then you have to be extra careful not to burn.

The skin condition does not arise like other diseases; it’s probably an autoimmune disease. You can get it just like that, but it often runs in the family. In most people, the spots start to show when they are around 20-30 years old. You can also get vitiligo as a side effect of other autoimmune diseases, or from severe stress, burns or severe sunburn.

It is therefore not possible to infect someone else with vitiligo, and it occurs equally among all population groups. In some countries this was not believed for a long time, as vitiligo patients suffered greatly from the prejudice that people had about them. Weird stories are still circulating about the condition, sometimes so much that people even choose to have their skin discolored medically.

3. What are you doing about it?

UVB light therapy is currently considered the most effective treatment for extensive vitiligo, say dermatologists at the Wilhelmina hospital in Assen. This treatment ensures that the pigment (partially) returns in almost 60% of the patients. In addition, some people use cream containing corticosteroids. Even laser therapy and pigment transplants are an option.

Unfortunately, some treatments may have negative side effects. A perfect solution for vitiligo is still being sought. People with severe forms of the skin condition therefore sometimes bleach the rest of their skin, so that they are no longer characterized by the visible spots.

4. Is Vitiligo Dangerous?

Yes and no. Vitiligo in itself is not a very dangerous condition; it is not contagious and does not lead to worse diseases. The most difficult thing about vitiligo is the risk of burning. Because the skin in those areas no longer contains pigment, you can burn very quickly, even if you use a lot of sunscreen. This is not only painful, it also increases the risk of skin cancer. And that while the number of hours of sunshine in the Netherlands is increasing every year.

People with vitiligo are also more likely to have eye and hearing problems. Still, researchers warn most about the social impact the disease can have on your life. According to researchers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences and the Amsterdam Medical Center, many people are ashamed of the skin condition, and people with vitiligo more often suffer from a negative self-image, depression and even suicidal thoughts. And that while more than 200,000 people in the Netherlands have the skin condition.

5. Why a Vitiligo Day?

In recent years, the picture surrounding the skin condition has changed rapidly. Celebrities like Jon Hamm, the protagonist of the series Mad Men , told how they deal with the disease. Model Winnie Harlow became known as the first fashion model with vitiligo. Michael Jackson also admitted after much deliberation that he had vitiligo. Many fans were so convinced that Jackson was ashamed of his black complexion that a doctor publicly testified after his death that the pop star actually had vitiligo. When the King of Pop passed away on June 25, 2009, this day was renamed Global Vitiligo Day.

The fact that all those celebrities play open cards ensures that the disease has become much more widely known. The white spots are becoming an increasingly common sight for many people, causing prejudice and shame to disappear. The anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death has posthumously turned into a figurehead of self-acceptance, no matter how much he struggled with his self-image.

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