Many patients do not know！10 misunderstandings about vitiligo

Myth 1: White patches on the body are vitiligo?  Not certainly!

Vitiligo causes white patches, but having white patches is not certainly vitiligo.  Many hypopigmentation diseases may also cause the symptoms of white patches similar to vitiligo.  Such as tinea versicolor, amelanotic nevus, white pityriasis and so on.  These hypopigmented skin disorders cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.  Therefore, when we find white spots on the body, we should check the diagnosis and treatment of the regular professional hospital as soon as possible, so as not to delay the disease.

Myth 2: The cause of vitiligo is unknown.  Incorrect！

There are many pathogenic factors and complex pathogenesis of vitiligo, but there is a trace to follow, there is no unknown etiology. These includes autoimmune, lack of trace elements, mental factors and so on. Therefore, in order to get effective treatment, patients must find out accurate examination and clear cause.

Myth 3: Is Vitiligo hereditary?  it's scientifically based.

Vitiligo can be inherited, but not at a high rate.  Just because a parent has vitiligo doesn't mean a child will have it.  In addition,the hereditary of vitiligo is also associated with environmental factors.  The child whose parents with vitiligo are more likely to have this disease than those without.  Therefore, for those whose family members have vitiligo usually need to pay more attention.  

Myth 4: Vitiligo is contagious?  Incorrect!

Infection is the parasitic process of pathogens to others, and vitiligo does not have the source of infection, so it is not contagious.

Myth 5: Vitiligo is not a life threatening disease, so no need to have treatment. Incorrect!

Although vitiligo is neither painful nor itchy, and has little impact on daily work, it does not mean that it has no major impact on health. If the treatment is delayed, not only vitiligo will becoming worse, but it will also cause complications, which will seriously threaten our health. Such as thyroid disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia areata, skin cancer, etc. Therefore, vitiligo patients are better to detect and treat early.

Myth 6: Where there is vitiligo, the hair will turn white? Not certainly!

When vitiligo is severe, the hair on the affected area may turn white. This condition is caused by the destruction of the melanin in the hair follicle, which causes the hair to turn white. In this situation, even if the vitiligo on the skin is completely recovered, the hair will take a while to recover.

Myth 7: More complicated the drug combination of your vitiligo treatment is, the better treatment result you will get. Incorrect!

Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease with a complicated treatment process. However, it is not that the more complicated the medication, the better. If you take a large amount of medication for a long time, the side effects on the liver are also relatively large. The UVB Phototherapy treatment as a drug free and effective treatment method has becoming more and more popular now.

Myth 8: Is it good for vitiligo patients to get more sun exposure? Not exactly.

Sun exposure is a "double-edged sword" for vitiligo patients. Proper exposure to the sun can promote the synthesis of melanin, which is beneficial to the recovery of the disease. However, if the sun exposure is excessive, it will lead to hyperactivity of melanocytes and premature aging, prompting excessive consumption of melanocytes, which is not conducive to the condition of vitiligo. Therefore, patients with vitiligo should not be so casual in the sun. It is best to bask in the sun before 10 am and after 4 pm.

Myth 9: Vitiligo can be quickly recolored with special treatment? Incorrect!

There is no such a kind of special treatment method neither medicines nor ancestral secret recipes can achieve efficient recoloration in a short period of time. Only by scientifically and systematically targeted treatment according to patient’s own condition, can the therapeutic effect be maximized, so as to achieve high-efficiency recoloration. Our vitiligo patients should never believe in that the so-called remedies and special medicines, but aggravate the disease.

Myth 10: Vitiligo treatment is not "one-shot". Correct!

The melanin metabolism cycle is about 28 days, so the treatment of vitiligo is a relatively long process. The duration of curative effect varies from person to person, and the treatment time of patients with different parts and types of vitiligo is also different. In the process of repigment , vitiligo patients must have confidence and patience, and adhere to the treatment to see the results of the treatment.