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Skin Condition Vitiligo Tied to Immune System Dysfunction
Posted 21 Apr 2010 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 21 – Scientists have discovered several genes linked to vitiligo that confirm the skin condition is, indeed, an autoimmune disorder. Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder that causes white splotches to appear on the skin; the late pop star Michael Jackson suffered from the condition. The finding could lead to treatments for this confounding condition, the University of Colorado researchers said. "If you can understand the pathway that leads to the destruction of the skin cell, then you can block that pathway," reasoned Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. More surprisingly, however, was an incidental discovery related to the deadly skin cancer melanoma: People with vitiligo are less likely to develop melanoma and vice-versa. "That was absolutely unexpected," said Dr. Richard A. Spritz, lead author of a paper appearing in the April 21 ... Read more
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Cell Transplant May Help Treat Vitiligo
Posted 10 Mar 2010 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, March 10 – Skin transplant surgery successfully and safely treats vitiligo, a condition that causes white patches on the skin of about 1 in 200 people in the United States, doctors say. Light therapy and skin medications are common treatments for the condition, which is most famously associated with singer Michael Jackson. But the treatments don't always work. In a new study, researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit say they followed 23 patients for as long as six months after surgery, which involves transplanting skin cells from one part of the patient to another. Patients regained an average of about 52 percent of their missing natural skin color in treated areas; eight patients with one specific type of vitiligo gained an average of 74 percent. "Patients of color and those with vitiligo on one side of the body and in one area of the body may benefit most from this ... Read more
Related support groups: Vitiligo