Vitiligo: Common Facts About The Skin Condition Michael Jackson Hid From Many

Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It’s caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment for skin colouration.

This condition can affect any area of the skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases.

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Popular musician Michael Jackson also had vitiligo.

Many misconceptions revolve around this condition giving rise to many doubts and false beliefs.

Here are the myths and their counter facts.

• Myth: Consumption of certain food items can cause this condition.
• Fact: This is false as, over many years, many people have believed that eating white-coloured food items or sour foods like citrus or drinking milk shortly after eating fish causes this condition. However, there’s simply no scientific proof to confirm the above theory.
• Myth: This condition is a contagious disease.
• Fact: This condition is not contagious, and it does not spread through close contact, touch, sharing personal items, saliva, etc.
• Myth: This condition 100% curable.
• Fact: It is unpredictable and hence can’t be said for sure. The treatment of vitiligo is difficult and slow; not all patients respond similarly. In addition, vitiligo is of different types with varying percentages of durability.
• Myth: Vitiligo is tough to diagnose.
• Fact: This condition is a relatively straightforward clinical diagnosis. The diagnosis is based on the characteristic type of the skin lesions, which is hypopigmented, non-scaly, chalky white macules with distinct margins and of typical distribution pattern.
• Myth: People with this condition are less intelligent and or physically incapable.
• Fact: Vitiligo is an exclusive skin condition and has no connection to either physical or mental disorders.
• Myth: All white patches are vitiligo.
• Fact: No, not all white patches are vitiligo. There is a vast list of all white spot disorders. Nevus, post-burns, leprosy, tinea versicolor (fungal infection), and others are a few examples of potential causes of white patches.
• Myth: Genetics also play an essential role in vitiligo.
• Fact: A few studies worldwide have found a strong link between the development of vitiligo and a family history of autoimmune illnesses and the occurrence of vitiligo.
• Myth: Vitiligo is a reaction to twins – abaloongo bamwokya.
  • Fact: There is no scientific research that connects twins to vitiligo. Also, it is hard to know exactly how twins are supposed to cause this.

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