Recently I was honored to be interviewed by Nation Television on the skin condition vitiligo. This was a great honor because NTV is the largest television station in Kenya and possibly in East Africa.
The interview was conducted in Swahili but I will share some of the information in English for those who don’t understand this language. For those who understand Swahili, the interview begins at 30:50
Vitiligo is caused by cells of the immune system attacking cells in the skin known as melanocytes which produce the melanin pigment that gives skin its color. Heredity also plays a role since some families have several members with the condition.
Symptoms of vitiligo include white patches of the skin and patches with white hair on the scalp, beard and other parts of the body.
Vitiligo can affect the skin on any part of the body from the head to the hands, legs, chest, back and even the genital areas.
Vitiligo affects men and women of all races. Symptoms begin by the age of 30 years in 80% of persons with it.
The white patches of vitiligo are more noticeable in Kenyans because of the surrounding dark skin and this can lead to social stigma which can cause depression.
Vitiligo progresses at different rates in different people as some have a white patch that rapidly increase in size to involve a large area while others have a small patch that remains the same size for many years.
A skin biopsy can be done to differentiate vitiligo from other disease that cause white patches.
Click here to learn more about Skin Biopsy. At Almasi Skincare we do skin biopsy for vitiligo diagnosis.
Vitiligo treatment involves the use of medications applied on the skin and medications taken by mouth. Lasers and UV radiation are also used to treat it. Camouflage makeup can also be applied on the skin to cover the affected areas. Medical tattooing can also be done over the white patches of the skin.
Sunscreen is very important for vitiligo treatment in Kenya because skin without melanin is more prone to getting sunburns and skin cancers.
Click here to read about The Best Sunscreens in Kenya
Counseling is also vital since the cosmetic effects of vitiligo and the resultant stigmatization can affect a persons psychologically and even cause depression.
It is important to note that different people respond differently to the treatment of vitiligo and thus it is vital to get the correct treatment.
Click here to learn more about Vitiligo Treatment
The difference between vitiligo and albinism is that an albino is born with white skin all over their body. Babies with vitiligo usually have a small white patch which gets bigger as they grow older.
Cornelius, my co-interviewee also informed us that in Kenya, the Disability Act recognizes persons with vitiligo and they can register with the National Council of Persons Living with Disability so that they can can get benefits like free sunscreen and Access to Government Procurement Opportunities.
If you have vitiligo consult our Doctor and start your treatment today.
If you would like to interview me on any skin disease, hair condition or skincare related topic, send an email to almasiskincare@gmail.com or call me at +254 721 963 156
Please also note that I can give interviews in English or Swahili.
In addition, I also write articles on health related topics for blogs and magazines like I did for Parents Magazine.