Debunking myths ahead of World Vitiligo Day

Gugs Mhlungu spoke to resident GP and Proactive Health Solutions CEO, Dr Fundile Nyati.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin.

"Vitiligo is a pigmentation condition - a skin condition whereby somebody's born with a normal skin pigmentation but all of a sudden there is a loss of skin colour and this loss happens in patches and those discoloured areas they get bigger with time and this can affect the skin on any part of the body." 

- Dr Fundile Nyati, GP and Proactive Health Solutions CEO

Research shows between 1% and 2,5% of the world's population live with this condition. 

Nyati says this is a "democratic" disease in that it can affect anyone, no matter their race, age or gender.

He adds that the king of pop, Michael Jackson is one of the most famous people to have lived with this skin condition, hence World Vitiligo Day is observed annually on 25 June, the day Jackson died. 

There are many myths when it comes to Vitiligo, due to there not being extensive research available on this skin condition, notes Nyati.

"Whilst this condition has been there for a long time, there are lots of myths, the level of scientific research has not been a lot to an extent that the theme of this year is 'looking into the future' - the future of what new interventions to try and assist those people who are living with this condition."  

- Dr Fundile Nyati, GP and Proactive Health Solutions CEO

Here's a look at some of the myths courtesy of uniteforvitiligo.com

Vitiligo is contagious

Vitiligo is neither infectious nor contagious, it is rather an immune disorder.

Vitiligo is dangerous

Vitiligo, for being a skin disorder, is not a life-threatening problem. Though, many vitiligo fighters experience psychological impact, excessive anxiety, and depression, they should be properly counselled and reassured. They should be told all therapeutic options and camouflage techniques.

Vitiligo fighters are at higher risk of developing skin cancer. Always wear sunblock.

You might have often heard “if you have vitiligo you should stay out of the sun and/or wear sunblock. There are many reasons why it might be wise to ignore this advice. Many people with vitiligo (especially those who are using either a topical or oral treatment) experience re-pigmentation when exposed to UV light. So, avoiding it can be counterproductive. The lack of sun exposure can lead to vitamin D deficiency, something that many vitiligo fighters already suffer from.

Vitiligo is related to albinism

In Albinism, an individual is born with no melanin. As a result, one has white skin all over, including hair, and eyebrows, since birth. On the other hand, vitiligo fighters have normal skin at birth. Later in life, they develop abnormal immune response towards melanocytes causing their inactivity and blockage.

Children of parents with vitiligo ultimately develop vitiligo

Of people with vitiligo, only 15-20% have one or more affected first-degree relative. This leaves 80-85% of vitiligo cases which occur without any family history. However, being an autoimmune disorder, there could be a genetic predisposition.

Only dark-skinned people get vitiligo.

Vitiligo affects people of all races and genders equally. It may be more noticeable in people with dark skin.

"It cannot be cured, however, there are interventions that can be used either to slow down the progression."  

- Dr Fundile Nyati, GP and Proactive Health Solutions CEO

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.