70 million people worldwide are affected by this skin disease

Autoimmune pathology characterised by skin depigmentation, vitiligo is subject to many clichés. This dermatological disease is not psychosomatic, but the consequences it has on patients' lives cause a real mental suffering. Let's focus on this condition affecting 0.5 to 1% of the world's population.

The appearance of white spots on the body and face is what makes vitiligo recognisable. The disease, benign in nature, causes a loss of the cells responsible for skin colour, known as melanocytes. The most common form of vitiligo is the type that spreads over the entire body (face, hands and feet) but it's also possible for the spots to be localised on just one part of the body. This is known as segmental vitiligo. According to the French Vitiligo Association, the disease "can occur at any time in life, regardless of age, skin colour or geographical origin".

A daily acceptance

This condition can be the result of trauma or stress (such as pregnancy or bereavement) in the medical sense of the word, but should certainly not be linked to the phenomenon of somatisation. On the other hand, the psychological impact of the disease on the lives of those affected reveals a sometimes very burdensome reality. Vitiligo demands to be tamed, it requires a form of acceptance from the patient and calls for daily learning.

The causes of vitiligo are linked to multiple factors, only some of which are genetic. It's therefore not a case of a hereditary disease, but of the transmission of a favourable environment for the development of the disease.

Among the preconceived ideas surrounding this disease is the fear of contagion. Sometimes confused with leprosy, vitiligo disgusts and marks rejection.

Treatments exist

Over the years, doctors and professionals have worked towards a greater understanding of the disease. Today, treatments are emerging and giving new hope to suffering patients. Phototherapy, combined with the application of dermocorticoid creams or melanocyte grafts, offers a conclusive approach in 7 to 8 cases out of 10. Thanks to ultraviolet rays, facial skin can regain its colour. This repigmentation, however, remains rather long, taking from 6 to 24 months. For generalised vitiligo, a quicker treatment, in the form of a cream containing the molecule ruxolitinib, will allow for facial repigmentation in about 50% of patients tested after six months.

(MH with Raphaël Liset -EVG - Illustration : ©Unsplash)