What Causes Vitiligo?

Update Date: 2024-06-25 Source: Network

Vitiligo as a Pigmentary Skin Disorder

Vitiligo is a type of pigmentary skin disorder that can appear on any part of the body. There are many factors in daily life that can lead to this disease, including environmental factors, mental factors, and other factors. Therefore, it is important to understand these factors in order to take preventive measures and prevent the onset of the disease.

1. Environmental Factors Leading to Vitiligo 1.1 Industrial Pollution

Industrial pollution is one of the reasons for the increasing incidence of vitiligo in recent years. Untreated exhaust gases and wastewater discharged from industrial production, as well as the rapidly increasing emissions from motor vehicles, contain many harmful substances such as sulfur dioxide, strong acids, strong alkalis, lead, arsenic, mercury, benzene, phenol, and other chemical or heavy metal toxins that can directly harm the human body. In recent years, it has been discovered that the large-scale emission of fluorine-based refrigerants has destroyed the ozone layer in the atmosphere, leading to excessive ultraviolet radiation reaching the ground surface, which can also harm the human body. All these factors contribute to the increasing incidence of skin diseases.

1.2 Agricultural Pollution

Excessive use of chemical pesticides, fungicides, and ripening agents on crops, as well as the residual growth hormones in meat-producing poultry after excessive feeding and slaughter, can have adverse effects on human health.

2. Mental Factors Leading to Vitiligo

Long-term psychological stress and excessive mental tension can lead to endocrine disorders and immune dysfunction, resulting in the onset of vitiligo. Additionally, excessive work pressure, irregular nightlife, and unhealthy habits can also cause the body to be constantly in a state of overfatigue, which can contribute to the development of the disease.

3. Other Factors Leading to Vitiligo 3.1 Genetic Factors

Some believe that vitiligo may be a type of autosomal dominant inherited skin disorder. Cases have been found where both twins in a single pregnancy develop the disease, as well as cases of familial occurrence. However, there are inconsistencies in the reported positive family history of vitiligo. According to foreign statistical data, the incidence of vitiligo in relatives of patients with vitiligo is approximately 18.75%-40%, while our clinical experience indicates a range of 10%-20%, with a lower positive rate compared to foreign countries.

3.2 Food Contamination

Attention should be paid to the intake of trace elements in food. With the development of society and the diversification of diets, many foods are no longer purely green but have undergone artificial processing, resulting in certain unhealthy factors in vegetables and snack foods. Consuming these foods can harm the body, reduce immune function, and lead to the occurrence of various diseases.

3.3 Medication Factors

The onset mechanism of vitiligo is related to certain medications. After being bitten by mosquitoes or scratched, some people may easily develop allergic reactions when applying ointments. Medications can have significant harmful effects on the body. As the saying goes, "all medicine has three poisons." Both internally and externally used medications can pose significant harm to the body.