Vitiligo: Malignant Melanoma

Unlike other cancers which we can develop, melanoma can often be detected on the skin which allows doctors to treat it at its early stages resulting in less complications and lower death rates to patients, again if left undetected at its early stages this can easily spread to distant areas and distant organs. Once melanoma has spread to other areas of the body which is classified as stage IV it is diagnosed as

Melanoma is a malignant condition arising from melanocytes in the basal layer of the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, which gives skin its pigmentation and shields the deeper layers of skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. When skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, melanocytes increase their production of melanin, which generates darker pigmentation of the skin. Ultraviolet radiation stimulates malignant changes within the melanocytes by mutating DNA, stimulating cutaneous growth factors, decreases immune defenses, and promotes species of melanin that cause DNA impairment and suppress apoptosis. The abnormalities caused by ultraviolet radiation in the melanocytes predispose it to

Vitiligo is a continual and long term skin problem that causes white depigmentation on your skin. The white patches appear due to melanocytes within the skin dying off. Melanocytes are cells that reproduce causing pigment, if you lack melanocytes then you will have white patches. Melanin, which gives your skin color also protect you from the sun’s UV rays. Vitiligo affects people differently; there is not an exact place where you can have it. You can have it all over your body, hair, mouth, and even eyes.

Melanin is an important part of the body that is produced by melanocytes. Melanin gives the hair, skin, and eyes color as well as protects the body from the ultra violet rays that radiate from the sun. The amount of melanin in the body determines the complexion of the skin. Vitiligo occurs when these important melanocytes die in patches around the body. This differs from the aging process, when melanocytes stop producing melanin which results in white or gray hair. Vitiligo is a non-contagious, non-life-threatening condition which causes a discoloration of the skin that appears over time, but does not go away. Most people say this condition is painless, but some report itching, and pain. This condition affects millions of people around the world, proportionately between men and women, and can be present in any given race, although it is more apparent in darker skin

Vitiligo is an auto-immune disease where melanocytes, the cells that make pigment in the skin, are destroyed (Vora, Patel, Chaudhary, Mehta & Pilani, 2014). It is characterized clinically by totally white patches of skin, also known as lesions, appearing primarily on visible areas of the body, including face and hands (Osman, Elkordufani & Abdullah, 2009). In very rare cases vitiligo is accompanied by itching or other somatic symptoms but gradual discoloration is generally its only physical symptom (Schmid-Ott et al., 2007). The patches develop unpredictably and while there is a genetic component to vitiligo, race and age do not affect the incidence of the disease (Gupta, Sreenivas, Mehta, Khaitan & Ramam,

The color of your hair and skin is usually determined by melanin, responsible for keeping your pigment. Vitiligo usually happens when your cells that make melanin die or stop functioning. Vitiligo is not contagious nor is it life-threatening.

Melanoma is a very serious type of skin cancer and can be extremely dangerous if it’s not taken care of properly. Melanoma usually develops in the melanocyte cells when the skin has been exposed to ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds or from being outside in the direct sunlight for too long or over a long period of time. When unrepaired skin DNA becomes too damaged, it can trigger a mutation in the cells which leads to the skin cells to rapidly multiply, turning into the cancerous growths. In some cases, melanoma can form in the eyes, nose, mouth, genitals and, in rare situations, form in the intestines (Mayo Clinic).

Melanoma was the major focus of our project. Our initial goal throughout this entire project was to inform the student body about melanoma as well as make an attempt to prevent sun exposure. We planned to find a way to see how much the students at St. Scholastica knew about the dangers involved in being in the sun. We planned to create two surveys and a pamphlet to help find the student body’s knowledge about this dangerous disease. Our group first started off giving out a survey that gave us a base model of how much the students already knew about melanoma as well as sunburn and sun exposure facts. We then proceeded to make a pamphlet that had useful information on it involving when to wear sunscreen, when to be out of the sun, and facts about melanoma. This was then slid under the doors of the residents of Somers hall. We purposely put out this pamphlet prior to going out on spring break in hopes that people would take in this information before they hit the beach. Being that the students got this information before they put their skin in danger of developing skin

Vitiligo has always sparked my interest because the causes behind this rare appearance are bewildering. Vitiligo causes an individual to loose pigment in his or her skin, but is not deadly. Loss of pigment is caused when melanocytes die. Oddly, vitiligo showcases no other symptoms and researchers are baffled by why the cells die. Although there may be a correlation between non-segmental vitiligo and auto immune diseases. Diagnoses of vitiligo vary and display in different parts of the body such as the hair, eyes, mouth and skin. Two types of vitiligo exist and each has a different severity. Segmental targets a specific part of the body such as a leg, arm or face and begins at an early age. Eventually segmental vitiligo stops spreading after

[8],[9] ZAG regulates melanin production by normal and malignant melanocytes. B-16 recombinant human ZAG tumors have decreased levels of tyrosinase protein and minimal tyrosinase activity. [8] Tyrosinase is a major antigen presented to the immune system on the surface of melanocytes and melanoma cells by HLA class I molecules, principally HLA-A*0201, which itself is a major genaralised vitiligo risk allele. Indeed, HLA-A*0201 and TYR 402Arg exhibit significant genetic interaction in promoting genaralised vitiligo susceptibility [5], reflecting a corresponding biological interaction. Tyrosinase is an important signal by which the immune system recognizes melanocytes, and tyrosinase-402Arg is likely to make a greater contribution than tyrosinase-402Gly to immune surveillance (and thus protection) against malignant melanoma and to susceptibility to genaralised

Vitiligo is an autoimmune diseases, in which the melanocytes or pigment cells are embattled and destroyed. An autoimmune disease occurs, when one’s immune system is attacking itself in his or her body. However, there is not a cure for vitiligo, therefore he or she will live with this skin disease of their life. People who have vitiligo rarely die from it. Vitiligo is a cosmetic condition so it can affect them mentally

There are many skin diseases that people are unware of. Vitiligo is a skin disease that causes the skin to lose pigmentation. The pigment that gives skin it’s color is called melanin. Cells, called melanocytes, produce the melanin in the skin. People with Vitiligo don’t have these cells. The cause of Vitiligo is still unknown, but it is said that Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder. The body’s immune system accidentally targets the melanocytes in the body, which injures the cells, and accidentally kills them.

Skin deformities like vitiligo receive a lot of negative attention also. Vitiligo is a skin discoloring disease that causes lack of pigmentation in certain areas of the skin. Although there are some very expensive treatment options for vitiligo there is no cure for it and it cannot be prevented. People with vitiligo are often referred to an thought of as freaks and many other insulting concepts.

An ultraviolet wave is an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 10^-8 meters and a frequency of 10^15 nm. Hospitals use UV lamps to sterilize surgical equipment and the air in operating theaters. Food and drug companies also use UV lamps to sterilize their products.UV rays can also damage the eyes and can ultimately lead to blindness. Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, can also develop within the eye. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that lies between visible light and x rays in its energy and wavelength. It is a component of the radiation that reaches the Earth from the

Hyperpigmentation is the increased production of melanin in the skin, and it usually causes unusual darkening. According to progressivehealth.com, it can be caused by intense ultraviolet light like sunlight, pregnancy, diseases, drugs, and hormonal changes. It’s a cosmetic discoloration that can be treated with creams and laser therapy. Melasma for example, also called chloasma or chloasma faciei, is a mask of pregnancy which can affect both men and women.