23.06.2023 – 09:25
Professional Association of German Dermatologists e. V
Berlin (ots)
On the occasion of World Vitiligo Day on June 25th, the Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD) draws attention to the high level of suffering suffered by people who suffer from the disease, also known as vitiligo. Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease and not a “cosmetic problem”. Those affected should not simply accept the disease, but should consult a dermatologist to find out about current treatment options.
Vitiligo is an incurable autoimmune skin disease that causes white, sun-sensitive patches to form due to the local loss of skin pigment melanin. These can appear all over the body, often in several places at the same time. In Germany, around 650,000 people suffer from the non-contagious disease. If visible areas of skin are affected, this can be accompanied by strong negative effects on the psyche and also result in social effects such as exclusion. “Skin diseases, especially on visible areas of the body, are very often stigmatizing for those affected,” explains BVDD President Dr. Ralph von Kiedrowski. World Vitiligo Day was established on June 25, 2011 to draw more attention to the burdensome disease. The choice of date goes back to the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, who claims to have suffered from vitiligo.
On the occasion of this year’s World Vitiligo Day, the BVDD advises those affected to consult a dermatologist at the first sign of vitiligo. “We can still intervene until depigmentation,” says Dr. by Kiedrowski. The S1 guideline “Diagnosis and Therapy of Vitiligo” provides dermatologists with the necessary decision-making aid according to which scheme and when which therapy should be used. In addition, there will soon be a corresponding checklist to document the therapy decision.
However, data from health services research show that people with vitiligo are often not in medical care – either because they have withdrawn from care due to unsatisfactory therapy results or because they do not see a specialist at all. There are now promising treatment options. “After years of frustrating therapy attempts, thanks to intensive research, an immunological approach was found. Statements by dermatologists such as ‘I can’t help you here’ should hopefully soon be a thing of the past,” says Dr. von Kiedrowski encourages people with vitiligo to seek specialist care.
About the Professional Association of German Dermatologists
The Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD) is an association of dermatologists based in Germany to represent their economic and socio-political interests. The BVDD has 3,800 members and is actively committed to improved framework conditions for the care of people with skin diseases, promotes young people in dermatology and takes part in the major health policy discussions about care innovations, medical progress and new technologies. The classic tasks of the BVDD also include training and further education for its members.
Press contact:
Professional Association of German Dermatologists eV
press office
Wolfgang Hardt
Tel: 02251 7762525
[email protected]
Original content from: Professional Association of German Dermatologists e. V., transmitted by news aktuell