WHAT IS VITILIGO AND HOW DOES IT OCCUR?
Vitiligo is acquired as a result of skin depigmentation. It occurs in 1-2% of the population, more often in dark-skinned people. The family frequency is 30-40%. It affects both sexes equally. Frequent manifestations are seen at the age of ten and last up to about thirty years. Vitiligo is formed as a result of the disappearance of pigmented skin cells - melanocytes, which produce the skin pigment melanin, responsible for skin color, most often on an autoimmune substrate. As a result, white spots of various shapes and sizes form on the skin of the body. Most often on the fingers and toes, around the ankles, elbows, knees, in the lumbar region, on the back, as well as on the face around the eyes, mouth and hair. Due to this disease, many patients coexist with an autoimmune disease, the most common thyroid disease. This supports the theory that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. It is important to note that this disease is not infectious or contagious.
REASON OF ORIGIN
The exact cause of the disease is unknown, but there are three theories. The most common is the autoimmune destruction of melanocytes (cells that produce skin pigment), which means that our immune system recognizes melanocytes as foreign cells after a certain malfunction and tries to destroy them. It can be an emotionally stressful situation, an injury, an infection (most often viral), or another serious illness.
Another theory is based on self-destruction by our own enzymatic processes when cell cycle regulation is disrupted by oxidative stress. The latest theory is the neurohumoral hypothesis, according to which melanocytes are destroyed by neurotransmitters, substances involved in the transmission of signals between nerve cells. Several factors and factors interact simultaneously in the development of this disease, therefore it is not possible to unambiguously explain the cause of the development process.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?
A risk factor is the presence of vitiligo in the family, but it is impossible to determine exactly how likely it is to occur in children and whether it will occur at all. Another risk factor is the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in the patient and his family, which include: thyroid diseases (almost 30% of patients with vitiligo): Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' goiter, diabetes mellitus, malignant anemia (anemia), rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus and others: Crohn's disease, Addison's disease, myasthenia gravis, etc. Poznaj top 10 najlepszych automatów w tym roku.
Vitiligo is acquired as a result of skin depigmentation. It occurs in 1-2% of the population, more often in dark-skinned people. The family frequency is 30-40%. It affects both sexes equally. Frequent manifestations are seen at the age of ten and last up to about thirty years. Vitiligo is formed as a result of the disappearance of pigmented skin cells - melanocytes, which produce the skin pigment melanin, responsible for skin color, most often on an autoimmune substrate. As a result, white spots of various shapes and sizes form on the skin of the body. Most often on the fingers and toes, around the ankles, elbows, knees, in the lumbar region, on the back, as well as on the face around the eyes, mouth and hair. Due to this disease, many patients coexist with an autoimmune disease, the most common thyroid disease. This supports the theory that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. It is important to note that this disease is not infectious or contagious.
REASON OF ORIGIN
The exact cause of the disease is unknown, but there are three theories. The most common is the autoimmune destruction of melanocytes (cells that produce skin pigment), which means that our immune system recognizes melanocytes as foreign cells after a certain malfunction and tries to destroy them. It can be an emotionally stressful situation, an injury, an infection (most often viral), or another serious illness.
Another theory is based on self-destruction by our own enzymatic processes when cell cycle regulation is disrupted by oxidative stress. The latest theory is the neurohumoral hypothesis, according to which melanocytes are destroyed by neurotransmitters, substances involved in the transmission of signals between nerve cells. Several factors and factors interact simultaneously in the development of this disease, therefore it is not possible to unambiguously explain the cause of the development process.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?
A risk factor is the presence of vitiligo in the family, but it is impossible to determine exactly how likely it is to occur in children and whether it will occur at all. Another risk factor is the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in the patient and his family, which include: thyroid diseases (almost 30% of patients with vitiligo): Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' goiter, diabetes mellitus, malignant anemia (anemia), rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus and others: Crohn's disease, Addison's disease, myasthenia gravis, etc. Poznaj top 10 najlepszych automatów w tym roku.
