Beauty plays an important role in everyone’s life. The digital globe often puts extensive spotlight over one’s outer beauty through distinct social media networks. This is the exact reason why people pay extreme attention to skincare as well as on finding the best beauty products.
People are majorly concerned about looking absolutely presentable in front of smartphone cameras. So, if you are living in such a beauty-conscious world, having a skin disease similar to Vitiligo can cause unusual damage to your personality and inner confidence. Vitiligo is a skin condition that affects about 0.5 to 1% of the entire global population.
Many people view it as a cosmetic disease, whereas it is a medical condition in reality. Though people with this disease are overall relatively healthy, there may be possibilities of getting some serious health issues if you have Vitiligo. To avoid Vitiligo or rather prevent it from spreading, you need to understand all of its aspects.
What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a disease that affects the skin’s pigmentation. It is primarily caused by the lack of pigment known as melanin in your skin cells. This lack of pigment results in loss of skin color of certain specific cells, and they transform into smooth and white areas.
The amount of discoloration majorly depends on your skin type as well as the kind of Vitiligo you have. The different types of Vitiligo include segmental vitiligo and non-segmental (general) vitiligo. The former causes certain spots and patches only on a few parts of your body, whereas the latter Vitiligo affects multiple parts of your body.
Read: How Does Vitiligo Start and What Are the Symptoms
Top 7 Things That Make Vitiligo Worse
There isn’t any exact information about who can get this disease, but it remains independent of your gender. About 2 percent of the population, which is approximately somewhere between 2 to 5 million people, are known to suffer from this condition. In many cases, it often develops between the young age which is from 10 to 30 years.
While being affected by Vitiligo, you are likely to develop several white patches all over your skin. These patches may increase in size with time and spread to other parts of the body. Even though there is no permanent cure for Vitiligo, certain factors that can aggravate the disease can cause irritation. These include:
● Consuming Gluten
Gluten often causes high inflammation in the body that impacts melanocytes – the melanin-producing cells. This causes discoloration on your skin and gives rise to Vitiligo. Gluten also contributes to the spreading of skin conditions, and that is precisely why it is essential to avoid items that include wheat from your diet.
● Drinking Coffee Regularly
Both tea and coffee cause a delay in your skin restoration process. It inhibits the pigmentation of the skin and interacts with your immune system. Caffeine tends to hamper the activity of your cells and can possibly result in aggravating Vitiligo.
To top it all, you must also stay away from stressful situations. A high amount of stress or worry can weaken your immunity and make you more vulnerable to developing the white patches.
● Long Hours Under the Sun
Having lost its real color can cause your skin to get sunburn easily. It is crucial to note that your Vitiligo can get worse with sunburn!
Protecting your skin from prolonged exposure to the sun is essential when you have Vitiligo. Trust a broad-spectrum sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection to safeguard your skin when you step out.
Additionally, you can also opt for covered clothing. Decide your attire based on the clothes’ SPF. A full-sleeved shirt can give you 1,700 SPF, while a plain white shirt offers only SPF 7. Also, be mindful of seeking shade and cutting down your duration under the sun.
● Chemical-Rich Cosmetics
While dealing with a skin issue, every product that goes on your skin can impact you. Especially in the case of Vitiligo, applying chemical-loaded makeup products on your face can worsen the situation.
Compounds like sulfur and phosphate tend to interact with your skin cells. It is vital to keep these products at bay while you deal with your white patches.
● Getting a Tattoo
If you are suffering from Vitiligo, getting a tattoo can be a bad idea!
This is primarily because when you wound your skin while going for a tattoo, it can cause the Koebner phenomenon. This leads you to develop a new patch close to 12 days after getting inked.
● Increased Sugar
Sugar is noted to come in the way of your autoimmune system and cause trouble in the re-coloration of your patches. It also affects your collagen and can loosen the skin. Strive to bring down your sugar consumption with time and opt for better alternatives.
● Having Red Meat
Vitiligo condition makes your skin extremely sensitive. Due to this, your body can possibly consider meat to be a foreign element— preparing a response for it. Your patches can be gravely affected by these reactions, and your treatment can also be disturbed.
Wrapping Up
Dealing with Vitiligo can have an evident impact on your confidence. Being a visible skin condition, it can come in the way of your daily routine and leave you feeling frustrated. Make sure to take proper care of your skin and follow the treatments recommended for you.
More often than not, we tend to neglect the power of natural vitamins and minerals that boost your immunity. These can help you to better cope with Vitiligo and suppress its symptoms. These can include iron, copper, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and folic acid.
With the changing times, various new and effective ointments and creams have come up that are known to bring relief to your skin during Vitiligo. The Calcineurin Inhibitors, Corticosteroid Cream, and Calcipotriene— all these can be highly impactful in treating this skin issue.
These are some of the most common things that can make your Vitiligo worse. Have a healthy lifestyle and stay away from stress to make sure that this condition never gets you!
