Vitiligo is a health condition that affects the skin and eyes, or just the eyes, and is associated with many other problems such as vision and skin sensitivity. This article explains through the Dalili Medical website the difference between vitiligo and vitiligo, describes the types of vitiligo, its causes, symptoms, treatment and infection, and finally provides some guidelines for dealing with this condition.

Is there a difference between albinism and vitiligo?

 

There is a big difference between albinism and vitiligo, as they both differ in skin color. Albinism affects the eyes and different parts of the body. Vitiligo appears in the form of spots on one part of the body or on one side of the body, and it can appear on the face or hands only, or on the entire body.

Are albinos susceptible to skin cancer?

 

Yes, people with albinism are more susceptible to skin cancer than others because they lack the melanin pigment that gives the skin its color and protects it.

Does albinism develop at a certain age?

 

Albinism is not limited to a certain age and can appear at any stage of life from birth to old age, although some experts believe that about half of people with albinism develop the condition before the age of ten.

What is albinism?

 

Albinism is a genetic skin condition caused by a defect or disorder in the production of melanin, a natural substance produced by the body that gives color to the hair, skin and iris. Most people with albinism are healthy, but they may have vision problems.

What are the different types of albinism?

 

There are two main types of albinism, each with different parts of the body affected by the condition and different types of defective genes:

Ocular albinism (OA): This type of albinism primarily affects the eyes and describes a change in the color of the retina and iris; it is caused by a genetic defect or mutation on the X chromosome and mainly affects male children, but rarely affects females as well.

Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA): This type of albinism affects the eyes as well as the skin and hair, and is caused by a defect in the gene responsible for producing melanin.

In addition to the main types, there are also less common types of albinism such as:

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome: The symptoms of this type are similar to those of oculocutaneous albinism, but it also causes bleeding disorders including intestinal, cardiac, renal, pulmonary and bleeding disorders

Chediac-East syndrome: The symptoms of this syndrome are similar to oculocutaneous albinism, but the skin color tends to be silver or gray, and there may be abnormalities or disorders in white blood cells and the risk of infection is increased.

How are the types of albinism classified?

 

The types of albinism are distinguished from each other by the defective genes:

Oculocutaneous albinism: This type causes decreased pigmentation of the skin, eyes and hair, leading to vision problems and is the most common type of albinism.

Oculocutaneous albinism: This type of albinism is almost exclusively male, and is less common than oculocutaneous albinism, affecting only the eyes and causing vision problems.

Hereditary albinism: This type of albinism is sometimes associated with some rare genetic disorders and is common.

Hermansky-Pudlak albinism: This syndrome causes intestinal and pulmonary disorders, causes bleeding, and produces oculocutaneous albinism.

Alopecia associated with Chediak-Higashi syndrome: This type has symptoms similar to oculocutaneous albinism, but does not affect all areas of the skin. Chediak-Higashi syndrome is one of the rare syndromes worldwide.

Alopecia associated with Grizzly syndrome: About 150 cases of Grizzly syndrome were recorded between 1978 and 2018, which means that it is a syndrome that shows symptoms of albinism along with immune and neurological problems.

How is albinism transmitted?

 

Albinism is a non-contagious genetic disease that can only be transmitted through genes inherited from the mother and father. There is no need to be afraid or worried about it because it is not transmitted through contact such as hugging or kissing. So the next time you see someone with albinism, greet them with a friendly handshake and be careful not to show disgust so that they do not feel upset because of your ignorant behavior.

Differences between vitiligo and albinism?

 

Albinism is an autosomal recessive dyspigmentation disorder, where the loss of melanin pigment may be partial or complete, depending on the underlying genetic defect in the affected person, as explained above.

Albinism can be divided into two main types

Oculocutaneous albinism: The eyes, skin and hair are affected.

Ocular albinism: Only the eyes are affected.

2- Vitiligo

It is time to learn about common vitiligo to know the difference between common vitiligo and albinism. Common vitiligo is still a mysterious health condition and can be caused by

Exposure to some autoimmune, genetic and oxidative stressors.

Viral infection.

Vitiligo is divided into two main categories

Segmental vitiligo: Segmental vitiligo usually occurs near the dorsal nerve roots of the spinal cord and is unilateral

Non-segmental vitiligo: New plaques may appear on the body and some of these plaques may remain localized on the body.

Symptoms of vitiligo and albinism?

 

Vitiligo and albinism can be distinguished by recognizing the symptoms of both:

1- Symptoms of vitiligo

Signs of vitiligo usually appear on specific parts or parts of the body, the most important of which are

The mouth and eyes.

The wrists and fingers.

The armpits.

The genitals.

The scalp: The hair in the affected area turns white or gray.

Symptoms of vitiligo include the following:

The presence of blood vessels under the skin in the area affected by this skin disease, causing some pink spots to appear instead of white.

You may feel itching in the affected area.

2- Symptoms of Vitiligo

The most important and most obvious symptoms of Vitiligo that help to know the difference between Vitiligo and Albinism are the following

The hair appears white and the skin color is usually very pale, while the skin color in this disorder ranges between white and brown.

Exposure to sunlight causes frecklesMoles and burns.

People of African and Asian descent have yellow, red or brown hair.

Eyelashes and eyebrows are lighter in color.

Eye color is light blue to brown and tends to change with age. Since the iris is transparent, the iris may not completely block light entering the eye, causing the eye to appear very bright red.

Poor vision.

Rapid, involuntary eye movements.

Head tilt.

Abnormal growth of the retina.

Causes of vitiligo and albinism?

 

Another way to explain the difference between vitiligo and albinism is to identify the causes of both conditions:

1- Causes of albinism The main cause of the disease is not yet known, but vitiligo may be an autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks the pigment cells responsible for the body's pigmentation and color:

Defects in one or more genes.

Self-destruction of pigment cells.

Exposure to sunburn or psychological distress.

2- Causes of Vitiligo Defects in many genes prevent the body from producing and distributing melanin. These genetic defects are passed down from generation to generation, that is, genetically.

What are the symptoms of albinism?

Symptoms of albinism can appear in different parts of the body, but in particular the following symptoms

Skin color: Light skin is the most common sign of albinism, although it is not always a distinctive sign, as melanin levels gradually increase with age and some people's skin color becomes darker.

Skin changes caused by the sun: When the skin of people with albinism is exposed to sunlight, several symptoms appear, including the appearance of moles and freckles, in addition to a rapid rise in skin temperature.

Hair color: The hair color of people with albinism generally ranges from white to brown, and tends to be brown, yellow or reddish brown in people of Asian or African descent, and may become darker over time.

Eye color Symptoms of albinism include eye color changing from very pale blue to brown, and the iris may appear transparent, red, or pink when exposed to certain types of light.

Vision problems: In general, all different types of albinism affect vision and cause a number of problems:

Nystagmus: Nystagmus refers to involuntary eye movements, where the eyeballs move back and forth very quickly without the affected child being aware of it, and may be accompanied by swaying or tilting of the head as the body responds to the eye movements.

Strabismus: In strabismus, the eyes do not move symmetrically in the same direction or the eyes lose the ability to move together.

Changes in vision levels: People with albinism may suffer from nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Astigmatism: Astigmatism results from an abnormal curvature in the front of the eye in people with albinism, which leads to blurred vision.

Photophobia: Photophobia is defined as extreme sensitivity of the eyes to light, and is sometimes a symptom of albinism.

Differences between albinism and vitiligo: Treatment**
The following section describes the differences between albinism and vitiligo in terms of available treatments:

Albinism Treatment***

Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure for albinism yet, but available treatments focus on treating the eye symptoms associated with albinism, including

Glasses or contact lenses.

Sunglasses to protect the eyes from the sun.

Visibility-enhancing devices (such as large computer screens, magnifiers, and speech-synthesizing software).

Eye exercises to help improve eye strain.

Vitiligo Treatment*****

Vitiligo patients are usually treated when symptoms are severe or affect their quality of life. Vitiligo can last a lifetime, but available treatments can reduce its appearance:

Creams to restore the color of white patches, including: Topical steroids that are applied directly to the affected skin.

Oral steroids: Available in the form of tablets taken by mouth

Ultraviolet A phototherapy

Ultraviolet B phototherapy

Laser therapy

Surgical procedures:

Skin grafting.

Pigment cell transplantation.

Can albinism be prevented?

 

A family history of albinism is a risk factor for the disease and unfortunately there is no way to prevent it, but to reduce the chances of having children with albinism, consider marrying a healthy person if your partner is affected. You can rely on a geneticist or genetic counselor to determine the necessary tests to detect the possibility of having an affected child.

Herbal treatment for albinism**
1- Basil leaves (basil)

Mix basil leaves with a small amount of lemon juice and apply the resulting mixture to the affected area daily.

2- Papaya fruit.

Massaging the affected area with papaya pulp or drinking papaya juice regularly can help treat vitiligo.

3- Fresh walnuts.

One way to treat vitiligo with herbs is to eat five fresh walnuts daily or apply a paste made from walnut crumbs and water to the affected area 3-4 times daily.

4- Turmeric and Mustard Oil

If you want to treat vitiligo with herbs, this recipe is one of the most useful recipes for treating this disease. All you have to do is mix a small amount of turmeric and mustard oil and apply it to the affected area twice a day for 20 minutes each time.

5- Aloe Vera Gel.

Aloe Vera Gel is one of the most effective recipes for treating vitiligo with herbs and medicinal plants.