We all know how how important the environment surrounding an ill person is. Its direct effect can be seen clearly.
Similarly, the notion of a disease is seen in many ways in our society. The direct effect of this social response is seen on the mental health of the patient. A condition for which society also acts as a risk factor, is vitiligo. Research claims it to be an autoimmune disease.
Every year, June 25 is commemorated as World Vitiligo Day. The focus of World Vitiligo Day 2019 is “Mental and Medical Journey of Living with Vitiligo – The Journey Starts with ME!”
The purpose of the theme is to highlight the emotional and psychological well-being of people living with the skin condition.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS), vitiligo is a disorder that causes patches of skin to become white. This happens because cells that make colour in your skin are destroyed.
Points to remember about vitiligo:
1) Vitiligo causes white patches, which may or may not spread, to appear on your skin.
2) Doctors don’t know what causes vitiligo, but it may be an autoimmune disease. It also seems to run in families.
3) Treatments may help restore colour to the white patches of your skin, but they don’t work for everyone, and sometimes they have unwanted side effects.
4) It’s important to have a supportive doctor and emotional support from family and friends. You may also want to join a vitiligo support group in your area.
Some social factors that affect the condition:
1) Changes in attendance due to vitiligo can affect the emotional and psychological well-being of a person, and can create difficulty in employment or remaining. People can experience emotional stress, especially if vitiligo develops on the visible areas of the body, such as face and hands.
2) Skin is tied to a person’s body image and self-esteem. Since vitiligo affects the skin quite profoundly, people with the condition may have severe psychological and social problems.
3) One-third of patients with skin conditions suffer from emotional problems. Experts believe that skin conditions are caused by psychological stress, or may be related to certain personality traits.
4) Studies state that the more time passes after the first appearance of vitiligo symptoms, lesser the psychological co-morbidity.
5) People who get treatment for vitiligo have a better quality of life that those who don’t. Vitiligo impacts people with dark skin tones more than those with lighter tones. That’s because the loss of pigment is seen more significantly in dark skins.
Featured image source: World Vitiligo Day – June 25th/Facebook.