Bullying, social neglect and psychological trauma are some of the challenges that people who are living with vitiligo face every day of their lives.
This year World Vitiligo Day will mark it 13th year since it was launched by Steve Haragadon the founder of Vitiligo Friends network.
People who are living with Vitiligo were celebrating World Vitiligo day on 25 June 2024 and it was first celebrated in 2011 and has since become a global event with the purpose of raising awareness and recognition.
According to MayoClinic Vitiligo is described as a disease that causes loss of skin colour in patches, they can be white, pink, red or brownish in colour and can be widespread or affect smaller areas of the body the discoloured areas usually get bigger with times.
Dr Suretha Kannenberg, a consultant dermatologist at Stellenbosch University and the Tygerberg Academic Hospital in Cape Town, says there are three types of vitiligo.
Which are
. Segmental vitiligo localised to the distribution of one or more nerves and it is identified by white patches and only affects one area of the body and is less common.
. Non-segmental vitiligo which is not localised to these segments depending on the areas involved and the extent of the involvement of the body.
Kannenberg says non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) is an umbrella term for different sub-types which can be better understood using descriptive names including lip-tip vitiligo found on lips, hands and feet. Vitiligo vulgaris favours symmetrical involvement of frictional areas while vitiligo universal is very widespread.
There are some South African celebrities who have embraced Vitiligo, which now make it easier for people to understand that this skin condition is not contagious.
Celebrities like Leleti Khumalo who was on Imbewu playing a character of MaZulu and, Brighton Ngoma who was popularly known as Quinton on Scandal .
Mayo Clinic says, Vitiligo, occurs when cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.
The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself.