Vitiligo and Sunshine
In everyday life, the color human skin will be influenced by the environment or seasons change. The major factor is the sun radiation, whenever the summer coming, many outdoor workers tanned, especially the agriculture, fishery and geological prospecting workers’ skin color usually much darker than normal people.
Why UV light will tan skin? During the melanin metabolism, UV light will encourage the activity of tyrosinase-- an enzyme that necessary for melanin formation. UV light also accelerates the transformation speed of tyrosine to DOPA and Dopaquinone, therefore, promote the metabolism of melanin. At the same time, the UV light will promote the melanin transport from melanocytes to the surface and pigment the skin.
In fact, the sunshine should be seen in both ways: vitiligo patient could bask, but it should be a proper level, shouldn’t over-exposure in the sunshine.
If the patients over-exposure in the sunshine, it might bring negative effects. Especially during summer, the UV light is stronger and easy led burning to the skin. Moreover, the strong sun radiation easy cause dermatitis, particularly on the head, face and other exposed areas. For the vitiligo area, due to the reduction of melanocytes, the skin lacks the resistance to the UV light, long-term basking might lead blister and peeling, and the aggravation of vitiligo.
Besides, a healthy man with normal organs function and regular activity of tyrosinase, his skin will be tanned by the sunshine. However, if the tyrosinase’ activity reduced or lost, when the strong sunshine promotes the metabolism of melanocytes, tyrosinase could not provide enough nutrition to the melanin formation, and further lead the white spot spread. Therefore, under the brilliant sunshine, vitiligo patients should avoid the over-exposure.
It is not means vitiligo patients couldn’t touch sunshine at all. If the patient is taking vitiligo medicines, proper bask has a recovery effect on vitiligo. At the same time, the bask time should be adjusted with the exchange of seasons.