What do you need to know about vitiligo and dark skin?
Vitiligo is a skin disease that generates white patches on an individual’s skin.
Although Vitiligo can affect any ethnicity, it is most noticeable in people with dark skin, particularly in individuals of African descent.
Vitiligo occurs when melanocytes, inside the skin, hair and hair, die. In fact, melanocytes are the cells responsible for the production of melanin, which gives the skin its pigment.
Dark skin conditions
Most skin conditions can occur in all races and all skin types.
However, there are skin conditions that seem to have a greater incidence in dark skin and with greater severity.
Also, many treatments used to heal skin conditions sometimes lead to even worse problems on people with dark skin.
Dark skin composition
The color of the skin comes, as mentioned above, from the melanocytes. They produce melanosomes, packets that contain naturally occurring chemical melanin.
Studies have shown that people all have approximately the same number of melanocytes in their skin tissue, regardless of color.
The difference is therefore due to the distribution of the melanosomes. In fact, the bigger they are, the darker the skin will be.
Since melanin’s role is to absorb and disperse ultraviolet rays, having dark skin reduces the risk of sun damage.
In particular, with regard to skin aging and the formation of melanoma.
However, dark skin is more likely to develop skin conditions that affect pigmentation.
Even small skin lesions, such as insect bites, can cause a change in skin pigmentation. This allows, in fact, the appearance of hyperpigmented dark spots.
Any cosmetic treatment that can injure the skin, such as laser surgery and wrinkle filler injections, have the potential to create pigmentation problems.
Pigmentation changes
People with dark skin are prone to pigmentation changes such as:
Hyperpigmentation. The skin produces too much pigment or the pigment settles deep inside the skin, causing dark spots.
hypopigmentation. It occurs when color is lost, resulting in patches of light color.
All people with dark skin are at risk for both skin conditions.
Vitiligo and Dark Skin Therapies
Vitiligo treatment includes various procedures for skin re-pigmentation.
One of these methods is certainly phototherapy, characterized by controlled exposure to UV light.
This can help increase the amount of melanocyte cells on the skin’s surface.
Another approach uses topical eczema ointment, which is sometimes effective. When applied to the skin twice a day, research shows that normal pigmentation can return, although it could take months.
Yet another approach is the use of strong steroid creams, which can be effective when used on certain areas of the body such as the face and neck.
