Vitiligo, skin condition which causes a loss of pigmentation in patches of the skin, affects about 1% of the total population. There are cells in our skin which produces melanin. When these melanin-producing cells die or stop functioning it causes Vitiligo. It doesn’t impact a person’s health in any adverse way and is neither communicable but the impact of Vitiligo lies beyond the skin.
Our skin plays a vital role in deciding our appearance and thus has a significant impact on our social as well as sexual life. The way we are perceived in society majorly depends on our appearance, thus, even though Vitiligo is more of a cosmetic disorder, it deeply affects the social life of the patient disturbing him/ her emotionally and mentally. Vitiligo is often associated with psychological stress and social stigmatization.
Though Vitiligo can’t be cured completely, a wide range of treatments depending on the severity of the skin condition are available. The London Dermatology Centre, opened in 2005 and founded by Dr. Sunil Chopra, has world’s leading dermatologists and is equipped with latest, state-of-the-art, technology plus many years of experience in treating Vitiligo patients.
The Psychosocial Impact of Vitiligo in Patients
Patients, affected by Vitiligo, have a wide range of social concerns regarding the skin condition. The major factor behind psychological distress is the progression of white patches to the unaffected skin and the entire body.
Patients report to be ostracised from the society and if not ostracised, a variety of social restrictions are placed on them. Vitiligo proves to be a hindrance to getting married as well in getting employment. Although the condition doesn’t impact a person’s physical health, still, due to lack of knowledge, Vitiligo is thought to be a serious illness and consequently the patients affected by the disease are discriminated on various social platforms.
Women seem to be affected more, socially, than men. All these factors, ultimately, lead to psychological distress and affects the emotional as well as mental health of the patient, often leading to low self-esteem, depression, and even suicidal tendencies.
Even in developed societies, Vitiligo patients have reported that people stare them in an inappropriate way because of their condition and they can often see people whispering and passing comments behind their back. The desire to get full re-pigmentation of the skin is very strong and when the thought-of results are not obtained with treatments and dietary restrictions, patients are embarrassed to become a part of the society and often go into isolation, further increasing the chances of depression thereby affecting the physical health of the patients as well.
Conclusion
Patients with Vitiligo often have to undergo financial losses as due to the chronic nature of the disease and long-term treatment they have to take time off work.
Vitiligo has a strong impact on a patient’s quality of life; thus people suffering from the condition go to any length to get it treated, even though it is largely a cosmetic condition. Thus dermatologists, keeping in view the psychological impact of Vitiligo, should communicate with the patient well and treat Vitiligo as a serious disease so as to have a positive effect on patient’s mind and bring about a better devotion to the treatment protocol from the patient’s side.