Vitiligo Integumentary System

The Integumentary system is the skin, the disease we chose to discuss is Vitiligo Vitiligo is a skin disease that makes white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body it can even turn hair white . This happens because the cells that make our skin the colour it is (melanin) are destroyed in certain areas, then the cells are called Melanocytes. This disease also only affects 1%of the population.

How do you get the disease?

The cause of this disease is unknown. This disease can happen to anyone both men and women any from the ages as early as 10-30 years of age. There are many speculations on what could cause this skin disease such as, some researchers think it is an autoimmune disease, if you have an autoimmune disease you may have more of a chance of getting vitiligo. Autoimmune diseases

Another option is tattooing small areas of the skin to cover the patches.

Other possible treatments are simple sunscreen with a sensible UVA protection, cosmetic coverup (makeup or dye) to cover the patches and having support/counseling.

How likely is for a person to recover from this disease?

Unfortunately a person 's recovery depends on the person it is impossible to know what treatments will work for each patient because every person is different. It also depends on how early you find the disease forming and where the areas have formed for example if it forms on the areas where there is a large numbers of hair you have a better chance of recovery. The reason why is because the pigment cells in the root of the hair move to the surface of the skin to repigment the skin. In areas that have less hair it is more likely it will not recover fully.

Famous people who have have/had the disease and what they did.

MJ/ Michael