Vitiligo Innocent Disease

by Dr Rajesh Shah, M.D.

After examining very closely over a couple of thousands of cases of vitiligo, I would like to share some thoughts with the patients and the relatives (especially the parents) who may be overtly concerned about the disease.

Most patients and parents, especially those who attach undue social significance to the altered look of the skin due to the de-pigmented patches, must realize some points which they possibly did not think earlier:

1) Vitiligo is the only skin disease which does not itch, pain, or give any sort of physical discomfort.

2) Vitiligo belongs to group of diseases called Auto-immune diseases. Some of the auto-immune diseases are diabetes, cancer, hypothyroid, alopecia areata (patchy hair loss), lichen planus, etc. Vitiligo is the mildest of all the above stated auto-immune diseases.
 

3) Vitiligo is a chronic disease belonging to the group of other chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, migraine, Parkinson disease, brain disease, paralysis, ulcerative colitis, cancer, etc. Those who have vitiligo instead of other chronic diseases must feel happy that they were saved from other disabling chronic diseases.
 

4) In a study at our center, we have observed that most cases of vitiligo have a family history of one or more of the autoimmune diseases such as hypothyroid, Cancer, Diabetes, alopecia areata, hypertension or such disease; denoting that the patient could have suffered with the harsher disease than vitiligo.

The patients who suffer with vitiligo should familiarize with the above facts, which can convince them truly of the fact that vitiligo is the most innocent disease and it is better to have vitiligo than any of the above stated diseases.

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