Causes of white madness

Vitiligo is a skin disease that mainly occurs on the surface of our skin. As long as it is on the surface skin, the symptoms of vitiligo can be seen. It mainly manifests as local whitening. There are many reasons for the occurrence of vitiligo, but many people do not know its specific causes. So what exactly is the cause of vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a common acquired localized or generalized skin depigmentation disease. It is caused by the disappearance of melanocyte function in the skin, but the mechanism is still unclear. It can occur in any part of the body, most commonly on the back of the fingers, wrists, forearms, face, neck, and around the genitals. It can also occur in the female vulva, mostly in young women.

Genetic theory: Vitiligo can occur in twins and families, indicating that heredity plays an important role in the onset of vitiligo. Studies have shown that vitiligo has incomplete penetrance and there are multiple pathogenic sites on the gene.

Autoimmune theory: Vitiligo can be combined with autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, chronic adrenal insufficiency, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, malignant melanoma, etc. Specific antibodies to various organs can also be detected in the serum, such as anti-thyroid antibodies, anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies, anti-adrenal gland antibodies, anti-parathyroid antibodies, anti-smooth muscle antibodies, anti-melanocyte antibodies, etc.

Mental and neurochemical theory : Mental factors are closely related to the onset of vitiligo. Most patients suffer from mental trauma, excessive tension, depression or frustration during the onset or development of skin lesions. The degeneration of nerve endings in the white spots also supports the neurochemical theory.

Melanocyte self-destruction theory : Antibodies and T lymphocytes can be produced in the bodies of vitiligo patients, indicating that the immune response may lead to the destruction of melanocytes. Toxic melanin precursors synthesized by the cells themselves and certain chemicals that cause skin depigmentation may also have a selective destructive effect on melanocytes.

Trace element deficiency theory: The levels of copper or ceruloplasmin in the blood and skin of vitiligo patients are reduced, resulting in reduced tyrosinase activity, thus affecting the metabolism of melanin.

Other factors: trauma, sun exposure and some photosensitive drugs can also induce vitiligo.