Information on leucoderma
Vitiligo or leukoderma is a skin pigmentation disorder in which white patches appear on the body as a result of the destruction of melanocytes, the skin's pigment cells. The cause of the disorder is unknown, so there are no real preventive measures that can be taken. Although some patients think that emotional stress and trauma to the skin (such as severe sunburn) led to the onset of the disease, there is as yet no scientific evidence to this effect. It is mostly agreed however that the condition is an autoimmune disease and is genetic.
The key symptom of vitiligo is white patches of skin. The patches first appear on areas that are exposed to the sun face, hands, feet. In addition, some people also lose pigmentation of hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows. The white patches may or may not spread. Most commonly, the patches spread symmetrically on both sides of the body. In other cases however, depigmentation occurs only on a few areas of skin, or on only one side of the body, and does not spread further. When depigmentation does spread, the process can take years, although some people lose pigmentation extremely quickly.
If you think you may have leukoderma, you should visit your doctor for a diagnosis.
answered by G M