Overview of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a condition that causes the skin to lose its color.

The patches of white skin are called lesions. They can be as small as 1 millimeter (0.04 inch) or as large as several centimeters. The lesions may be on any part of your body, but they most often appear on areas exposed to sun, like your face, hands and arms.

Vitiligo occurs when the cells that make melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) die or stop working properly. It’s not clear why this happens, but it may be an autoimmune disorder — when your body attacks healthy cells by mistake. But doctors don’t know what triggers it or why some people get it and others don’t.

It isn’t contagious or infectious, and you can’t catch vitiligo from another person with the condition.

Vitiligo is a long-term condition that causes the skin to lose its colour. It can affect any part of the body and often results in white patches on the skin, although it can also cause hair to turn white.

Vitiligo affects approximately 1% of the world’s population and occurs in all races. It may affect up to 20% of people with albinism (a rare type of inherited disorder that causes a lack of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes).

The exact cause of vitiligo isn’t known but it’s thought that an autoimmune reaction may be involved. This means your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells for no apparent reason. However, most cases aren’t inherited from parents or siblings so there’s no evidence that it’s an inherited condition. Vitiligo usually appears before the age of 40 but can appear at any age after childhood.

Who’s at risk of Vitiligo?

Vitiligo affects all races and ethnicities equally, but it’s more common among people with darker skin tones than those with lighter ones. It’s not clear why this is so, but some research suggests that the immune system attacks melanocytes (melanin-producing cells), causing them to die off and resulting in white patches of skin on areas where these cells are normally found.

Vitiligo can affect anyone, but certain groups seem to be at higher risk. This includes people with a family history of the condition, those who have an autoimmune disease, and those who have had previous skin lesions removed.

People who have darker skin tones may also be more likely to develop vitiligo because their skin already has less melanin — the pigment that gives color to your skin.

Vitiligo Signs and Symptoms

Vitiligo isn’t contagious or life-threatening, but it can be psychologically devastating. Here are some signs and symptoms associated with vitiligo:

Skin discoloration. Vitiligo causes patches of skin to lose their color over time. The affected areas appear to have a lightening or bleaching effect. You may notice this most on your hands, feet and face because those areas get the most exposure to sunlight. In addition, vitiligo may cause white streaks in your hair.

Unpigmented areas. Your skin may look normal between patches of depigmentation; however, sometimes these areas will appear lightened due to sun exposure or other factors such as aging, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

Depigmented spots. These spots are usually flat, round or oval in shape and measure less than 1/8 inch wide when they first appear on your neck.

Self-Care Guidelines

The following are self-care guidelines for people who have vitiligo:

Apply sunscreen to affected areas of skin daily to prevent sunburn and damage to the skin. If you have an area that is exposed to sunlight regularly, such as your face or hands, use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30. Avoid tanning beds and UV lamps because they may worsen vitiligo symptoms or cause new patches of discoloration on your skin.

Avoid exposing affected areas of the body to extreme cold or heat. Hot baths or showers may make the condition worse.

Wear protective clothing if you’re going to be outside for long periods in extreme weather conditions. Protect areas where there are few pigment cells from harsh weather by wearing hats and long sleeves during cold weather months; wear short-sleeved shirts when temperatures are warmer but still cool enough for short sleeves to protect other parts of your body from exposure (such as arms).

Treatments Your Physician May Prescribe

Many people with vitiligo have tried a number of treatments, but may not have found the perfect solution. Your doctor may recommend a combination of the following treatments:

Topical creams. These are applied directly to your skin and can help improve your skin’s appearance. They are available over-the-counter and by prescription. Topical creams work well for mild cases of vitiligo, but they aren’t effective in treating more advanced cases.

Narrowband UVB light therapy (NB-UVB). This treatment uses ultraviolet light to stimulate melanin production. It’s usually done two to three times per week for six months to two years. The treatment can take up to 20 minutes per session and requires little to no downtime after each session. NB-UVB has been shown to be effective in treating some types of vitiligo when used alone or combined with other treatments, such as topical creams or corticosteroids.

Can Phototherapy and Topical treatments can help Vitiligo

Phototherapy is a treatment for vitiligo that uses the light of a special lamp to stimulate the production of melanin in the skin. Sunlight can also help stimulate melanin production, but it can be difficult to get enough sunlight on large areas of white skin.

Phototherapy is most effective when combined with topical treatments such as corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues.

Topical treatments are creams or ointments that contain chemicals that help stop the loss of pigment from your skin. The most commonly used topical treatments are corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues such as calcipotriol or tacalcitol.

Vitiligo Clinical Trials

The main purpose of clinical trials is to test new drugs or treatments and find out if they are safe and effective.

Signs of vitiligo may improve with some treatments, but not all treatments have been shown to work. Some treatments show promise in early studies, but do not work when tested on a larger number of people.

If you are considering participating in a clinical trial, talk to your doctor about the possible risks and benefits of participating in the study.

Anemia, Iron Deficiency, and Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Inclusion Criteria: – Age: 18 years or older – Must have been diagnosed with CKD prior to study entry – Must have been on hemodialysis (HD) for at least 3 months – Must not be pregnant or nursing. Exclusion Criteria:- Any contraindication to any of the study medications.- Participation in another clinical trial within 30 days prior to study entry.- History of hypersensitivity reaction(s) or intolerance(ies) to any of the investigational product or its components.- History of alcohol abuse or dependence within 6 months prior to enrollment.- Use of any drugs known to affect vitamin D metabolism within 3 months prior to enrollment.- Any other condition that may compromise patient safety or interfere with completion of the participation requirements as determined by investigator discretion.