Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder. What does it mean? it means that our immunity has to fight for a material that is outside like a virus, bacteria , fungus, but occasionally what happens is the immunity starts reacting against its own body structure. It could be some antigens in the skin, in the joint anywhere in the body, s o when this happens it is called autoimmune reaction. “Auto” is self and “ immune” is your immunity. So immunity is fighting against your own body’s proteins or antigens. Here what happens is this kid of analogy is directed towards melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin. Melanin gives blackens to the skin as well as to the hair naturally when there is an allergy reaction against these melaocytes either the cells becomes weak and reduces producing the melanin or it is completely destroyed. So there is no production of melanin pigment. So when there is no black pigment of the ski on the hair naturally the area turns white. This is what is called as vitiligo. So in general vitiligo is like an allergy reaction it is an allergy reaction reached against the melanocytes or the colour producing cells. Any allergy, will be influenced by any external or internal things, what are the internal things which influence it? Most important is the stress. Whenever the stress levels are high, we see that vitiligo suddenly increases. People can get hundreds of patches suddeneley or when there is lack of sleep, not having 6 to 7 hours of sleep. There are lot of hormones produce in the morning, evening and some at night, when you sleep is disturbed these hormone are also deranged because of this it is a stress to the body and again can cause vitiligo. Any medical illness is a stress o the body and that can again increase vitiligo. Alcohol and smoking can damage your body because there are a lot of toxins generated and free radical liberated. This can increase damage over melanocytes. Another thing is food. It has been documented that whenever one take a lot of citrus, when they take sour curds or buttermilk. Vitiligo increases with berries, mangoes. Also increases vitiligo. So vitiligo patients we ask them to avoid sour food, cashew nuts and al the berries. What toy can take internally is alto of apple and onion, or in cooking. Also I want people to exercise, it removes all the free radicals in the body, it stimulates the stem cells in the body. The recovery of melanocytes is better. So exercise daily atleast 1 hour. You must not traumatise the area having vitiligo. Please do not rub the area hard because that can increase vitiligo, chose physical activity at will not cause friction if to have extensive vitiligo, then you can do swimming. If you don’t have patches n your legs or knee then you can do yoga and gym. So you have to take a call on your exercise so you can prevent spread of vitiligo. Medications are important. When vitiligo is spreading rapidly then we will treat you extensively because once it increases the efforts to improve the colour is much
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