Vitiligo: A Problem That Cannot be Disregarded

• Autor(a) principal: Rosa, Eliane Cristina
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: Natali, Maria Raquel Marçal
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde e Pesquisa (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unicesumar.edu.br/index.php/saudpesq/article/view/910
• topic: Doença auto-imune; Estresse; Epiderme; Melanócitos; Autoimmune disease; Stress; Epidermis; Melanocytes.

Vitiligo is a pathology which description dates back to the second millennium AC. It is characterized by depigmentation of the skin with the formation of whitish spots, a result of the reduction of the number of melanocyte on the epidermis or loss of their function, which occurs regardless of race, gender or age. The extension of the depigmented areas varies and it can attack any part of the skin, generally beginning on the wrists, underarms, orbito-palpebral and perioral regions. Lesions tend to progressively increase as time elapses. Through this literature review, a qualitative and descriptive research was carried out, aiming at characterizing the causes, forms and treatments of this disease. Despite the science efforts, which involve experimental researches in vivo and in vitro, the mechanisms of formation and the establishment of effective treatments still constitute a challenge. Recent studies point out that stressful life factors, which are typical nowadays, are considered as the elements that favor the appearance of vitiligo, justifying the rising incidence of this disease.