InsaneJournal

Myths about Vitiligo you should not believe
There are various misconceptions and false beliefs about Vitiligo. Some think that, "You have been bewitched. You are cursed!" Now, it's our chance to change the public perception by debunking some common folklores surrounding Vitiligo.

What is Vitiligo?
According to the American Vitiligo Research Foundation (AVRF), "Vitiligo is a chronic disease, appears due to the depigmentation in skin, in form of scattered whitish patches on limited or all parts of body."



Here are some white lies about this white patches:

It is Contagious!
Scientifically, it cannot be passed through physical contact. It's not infectious either! Though the cause of this common skin order is not fully understood, it is a fact that is cannot be transmitted through touching or sharing personal stuff. Sufferers should not be hate and avoided. It's totally different from STD!

It has direct relation to white and citric acid foods
Some say that it is aggravated by fish, milk and other light color foods. Others think that citrus fruits and other sour food hastens the spread. Again, these aren't true. Food intake doesn't cause Vitiligo nor does it play any role in dispersion. There is no list of foods to avoid when it comes to Vitiligo.


It's related to Albinism.
Based on National Center for Biotechnology Information and College Papers, Albinism is a defect of melanin production that results in little or no color (pigment) in the skin, hair, and eyes. There are clear differences between Albinism and Vitiligo. Vitiligo occurs when melanocytes become damaged. No connection has been made with Albinism because Vitiligo rarely spreads throughout the entire body like Achromatoss.

People with Vitiligo are prone to skin cancer
According to research, Vitiligo doesn't lead to skin neoplasms. Skin cancer occurs when skin cells are damaged, for example, by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Between 95 and 99% of skin cancers in Australia are caused by exposure to the sun. (Cancer Council Australia).

Vitiligo is a different kind of skin ailment occurring through different means. Another fact is that some melanin-producing cells responsible for human skin color cannot function well. Therefore, Vitiligo is not a type of cancer.

There are no known ways as of yet of preventing this skin disorder. But with significant medical studies, treatments like Psychotherapy, Ayurvedic Treatment , Photochemotherapy, Homeopathic Treatment, Skin Grafting Treatment, and Surgical Treatment can make Vitiligo more bearable. Certain medications including tablets and lotions can help reduce skin pigmentation. Most importantly, proper understanding with this incurable disease is the first step to prevention.