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Vitiligo is a rare skin disease that about 2 out of every 100 people have. There is usually a family tendicy to devolpe this disease. Vitiligo is a very simple disease. All it does is take away the pigment in your skin. Therefor, black people suffer more then white people. Vitiligo does one other thing too. It makes the people who have it elergic to the sun. They shouldn't go outside at all, even if they're in the shade or its a perfectly cloudy rainy day. The sun rays can still totaly destroy their skin. (Mike really doesn't go outside at all. Don't you think so?) But people who have Vitiligo still go outside like Michael. All they have to do is wear hats, a mask, long sleave shirt, and long pants. And wola! You can now go outside! That is all I know about Vitiligo. I will try to find out more, and if I do I will tell you about it if I do find out more. Michael has NEVER dyed his skin white. Even thou dying your skin white is an oputurnity aloud ONLY to people who suffer from Vitiligo. Michael has chosen to not dye is skin and to keep it how god made it. Sarabef10's Imformation On Vitiligo.
What Is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo (vit-ill-eye-go) is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. Patients with Vitiligo develop white spots in the skin that vary in size and location. The disease affects both sexes and all races however; the distinctive patches are most noticeable in people with darker skin tones. Approximately 1 to 2 percent of the world's population (or 40 to 50 million people) has Vitiligo! About 95% of people who have the disease develop it before their 40th birthday.
What Causes It?
The cause of Vitiligo is not known, but doctors and researchers have developed several theories. One theory is that people develop antibodies that destroy the melanocytes in their own bodies. The most credible theory, and the most frequently reported precipitating factor, is a single stressful physical or psychological event such as severe sunburn, surgery, pregnancy, loss of job, bereavement, or some other source of emotional trauma or distress. Some believe that the disease is hereditary however most people with Vitiligo have no family history of the disorder. The beginning of Vitiligo and the severity of pigment loss differs with each patient. The disorder is usually progressive and for some people the depigmentation spreads slowly, over many years. For others, the spreading occurs rapidly. There is no way to predict how much pigment a patient will loose and illness and stress can result in further pigment loss.
Emotional & Psychological Affects
Because Vitiligo causes such a drastically uneven skin color most patients experience emotional and psychological stress, especially if the Vitiligo develops on visible areas of the body, such as the face, hands, arms, feet, or on the genitals. Many patients often feel embarrassed, ashamed, depressed, or worried about how others will react. Some people with Vitiligo have found that using cosmetics to cover the white patches improves their appearance and helps them to feel better about themselves.
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