Can Vitiligo Spread From One Person To Another?

When it comes to skin conditions like vitiligo, many patients often have questions about whether or not the condition can spread from one person to another in close contact. Vitiligo is a skin pigment disorder that produces white patches on the skin in various body parts. As well as being unsightly, vitiligo can also affect people psychologically because they feel different from their peers. It’s estimated that 1-2% of the population suffers from this condition.

Can I get it if somebody has it?

The short answer is no; you cannot get vitiligo from somebody else because you are not contagious like a virus would be. Vitiligo does not spread easily and requires either extended periods of direct exposure to sunlight or trauma to the affected area for it to develop. You can also not get vitiligo by touching someone who already has it. It is a myth that this condition can spread like a virus to others. Here are the actual causes of vitiligo.

Causes of vitiligo:

1. The immune system:

The actual cause of vitiligo is an autoimmune reaction to the pigment cells in the skin. The body’s immune system somehow mistakenly attacks and destroys these pigment cells, causing a loss or reduction in color (pigment) to areas of the skin. There may be a genetic component to this condition, but further research needs to take place for this theory to be proven. Most cases of vitiligo also tend to occur randomly without any family history, although having close relatives with vitiligo increases your chances of developing it yourself.

2. Exposure to sun:

This is one way that white patches develop on the skin, even when there is no family history of vitiligo. Increased exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun damages skin cells. As a result, they produce fewer melanocytes which are responsible for providing color to the skin. This happens as a chance genetic event and not as an attempt of the body’s immune system to attack these pigment cells.

3. Trauma:

If you’ve had vitiligo, you can contact it by trauma to affected areas on your body, such as an open wound or burn scarring that remains after healing of a normal wound. The white patches develop in makeup after injury, depending on the size and location of this area. It may also be possible to get vitiligo from repeated latex exposure if you’re working with products like dental dams that contain latex (check ingredients before using). To help prevent this, make sure to wear a protective barrier.

4. Genes:

The chances of getting vitiligo increase in people whose relatives have the disorder. In addition, there is a greater chance if you have one copy of a gene that increases the risk of developing this condition from 25% up to 50%. If you have two copies, then your chances rise further from 50% to almost 100%. In other words, having family members with vitiligo makes it more likely for you to get affected too. The immune system attacks skin pigment cells may be due to genetic predisposition towards autoimmune disorders.

5. Stress:

Stressful events in life can also cause white patches on skin blemishes to develop. This tends to happen more in teenagers and adults rather than children. Some researchers say that stress may only exacerbate the development of vitiligo but does not cause it by itself.

6. Injuries:

Injury is another way of developing white patches on the skin, called vitiligo spots or leukoderma depending on what you call them. If you have a minor injury on your leg, for example, your body’s immune system attacks these pigment cells under the wound area to produce white patches due to local injury trauma. Vitiligo spots also develop over time with repeated sun exposure.

7 . Diseases :

It’s possible that diseases like tuberculosis can cause new areas irregular color loss on the skin. This is because both conditions are associated with immune system attacks on pigment cells. If you have any autoimmune disorder, make sure to get tested for vitiligo too.

8 . Genetics :

People who have family members who have this condition also experience it themselves. This suggests that there may be some genetic component to this skin disorder. However, the role of genes in developing vitiligo has not been proved yet, but further research needs to take place for this theory to be confirmed.

9 . Age:

The risk factor increases with age after 45 years old, particularly if you’re over 65 years old or more aged than 80 years old. The risk may increase even before the age of 45, while sun exposure increases as well.

10 . Gender:

White patches on the skin are more prevalent in females than males and usually occur before menopause age (whether or not you experience hot flashes). This means that if you’re a female, your chances of getting vitiligo are more significant than that of a male, even with similar exposures to sunlight and other risk factors. In addition, white patches on children under five years old do not always indicate vitiligo because birthmarks and other conditions can cause them. Make sure your doctor is aware of your child’s disease if you’re unsure.

11 . Stresses:

Stressful events in life can also cause white patches on skin blemishes to develop. This tends to happen more in teenagers and adults rather than children. Some researchers say that stress may only exacerbate the development of vitiligo but does not cause it by itself.

How to prevent vitiligo naturally? 

1. Keep your body hydrated:

Your skin needs to stay hydrated, and you can use a mild soap for that purpose without causing dryness or other damage. If you cleanse with this type of soap, make sure to apply a moisturizer afterward as well. This will help keep your body moist and prevent further damage if the surface gets exposed to sunlight later on during the day.

2 . Get enough nutrients:

If you don’t get enough nutrients from fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, or whole grains, then try taking supplements instead, such as B vitamins, vitamin C and Ester-C, so long as they’re made naturally rather than synthetically unless otherwise directed by your doctor first. These three essential vitamins should be sufficient at least to prevent any skin disorder.

3 . Keep your stress levels low:

Stressful events in life can also cause white patches on skin blemishes to develop. This tends to happen more in teenagers and adults rather than children. Some researchers say that stress may only exacerbate the development of vitiligo but does not cause it by itself. To keep your stress levels low, practice some form of meditation or yoga first thing every morning before breakfast or daily for at least 15 minutes every day if possible because you need consistent exposure for this to work well enough. You don’t need to do anything too complex either, such as guided meditations found online today; make sure you close your eyes and relax with deep breaths in and out to soften your mind.

4 . Protect yourself from harmful rays:

If you’re going outside, make sure to wear a hat or dress in clothing that will protect you from the direct sunlight. You can also wear sunglasses during the daytime, especially when driving or if you need protection against ultraviolet rays. This will help reduce your chances of getting vitiligo caused by sun exposure if it’s not too late already for this condition to develop on a more severe scale at the moment.

5 . Take a cold shower:

Taking a cold shower can stimulate blood flow throughout your body and particularly towards the surface of your skin. It is most vulnerable to developing white patches later on if left untreated long enough for this type of disorder to manifest itself permanently. This is because cold temperatures cause blood vessels to constrict, which helps prevent your susceptibility to vitiligo caused by the sun, leading to more severe problems later on if left untreated.

6 . When new patches appear:

If you notice new patches of skin that are white or lighter than the standard skin color appearing anywhere else on your body, do seek medical attention immediately. See your doctor first after making an appointment with them for this purpose only and not during emergencies without prior appointments unless otherwise critical, like when you’re dying already or close to it depending on how bad off you are at the moment due to vitiligo symptoms themselves. If necessary, make sure you also carry essential medicines such as Tetracycline, Betamethasone, or Corticosteroids with you, not to mention your medical record, too, if possible due to privacy laws where you live because the doctor might ask for that information to diagnose your condition.

8 . Use sunscreen:

If vitiligo is already present on any portion of skin, make sure you use sunscreen whenever going outside during the daytime, even if it’s cloudy out there since ultraviolet rays are still harmful despite the cloud cover blocking most of their direct exposure over time. Apply sunscreens before stepping out in public because this will help prevent vitiligo from worsening and spreading further than it usually would when left untreated for years after initial onset. Applying these essential skincare products should help prevent vitiligo from getting worse, which can also help slow down the growth of new white patches on the skin if continued regularly long enough for this method to work.

9 . Eat foods rich in Vitamin C:

Eat foods rich in vitamin C like oranges, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables like kale when possible because it’s beneficial in treating vitiligo when combined with other essential nutrients like beta-carotene (another type of nutrient that your body needs to repair itself over time). Supplementing your diet with these vitamins if necessary, can help control or stop further development of new white patches on the skin caused by vitiligo too.

10 . Change your diet:

Another way to control or stop the growth of new white patches on the skin is to make a simple change in your daily diet. Eat foods rich in beta-carotene and other essential nutrients like vitamin C, as mentioned earlier, because this can prevent vitiligo from spreading on more severe levels. Add food products containing these vitamins instead or along with plenty of fruits and vegetables too, especially if you’re already following a regular healthy diet but you need them in more significant amounts for this purpose only; not forgetting about foods containing omega-3 fatty acids too because it’s also proven effective when added to the usual daily menu during meal times before going outside.

11 . Apply aloe vera cream twice daily:

Use an aloe vera cream that is safe and effective after boiling aloe leaves in water for 30 minutes. Then extract the contents of the leaves to drink afterward while keeping the content cool at all times until immediate usage; otherwise, it will be too late by then. Boiling helps release more nutrients from the leaves to other liquids around it once cooled down later on, essential when adding to other foods or drinks over time.

12 . Homeopathic treatment for vitiligo:

When it comes to effective treatment for vitiligo that’s 100% natural or homeopathic, the best method, homeopathic treatment, helps restore the balance of vitiligo symptoms naturally and safely without any harmful side effects or complications over time. Homeopathic treatments for vitiligo include natural homeopathic remedies and prescription medications that can be used together to complement each other when combined with other essential nutrients and vitamins that aid in the treatment process over time.

Homeopathy doctor treats the root cause of vitiligo to cure it completely and effectively forever. They customize the treatment depending on the patient’s conditions and physical symptoms. They can provide treatment for all types of vitiligo like simplex, universal, segmental, mottled, etc. Homeopathic treatment helps to form pigmentation in the white patches after vitiligo treatment to regain its original color.

Homeopathic remedies are made from natural ingredients that are 100% safe without any side effects or complications when taken as prescribed by your doctor during the vitiligo treatment regimen. They strengthen the immune system naturally to treat the root cause of this skin disorder safely and effectively. For more information, you can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy now!