The statistical yearbooks of the health sector in the province of Las Tunas do not include data on the incidence of vitiligo in the local population, so the exact prevalence of this disease is unknown. Nor have any studies been held to summarize its behavior in the territory.

Las Tunas.- Although it is somewhat unknown, every year on this date the condition is discussed, to raise awareness among the population, encouraging respect for those who suffer from it and researching some therapeutic options to speed up recovery.

Speaking about World Vitiligo Day, Yordania  Velázquez Ávila, a doctor in Medical Sciences and second-degree specialist in Dermatology, explained that the disease affects two percent of the world's population and that the female sex tends to be more affected.

"In terms of skin color, there is no distinction. We can see it in people with lighter skin or darker skin color. In terms of age, it is most common in the 20 and older age groups, but cases have been reported in childhood."

"Although the causes are unknown, it is considered a systemic autoimmune disease, related to a genetic predisposition. In other words, people who have relatives with vitiligo are highly susceptible to it, especially if they are exposed to environmental risk factors such as stress, the sun, and certain infectious processes."

Velázquez Ávila, who also holds a master's in Infectious Diseases and is an assistant research professor, pointed out that it is an acquired pigmentation disorder, with partial or complete selective destruction of the melanocyte, the cell responsible for skin pigment production.

"It is important to know that vitiligo does not affect other organs of the human body and that it is distinguished by the appearance of an acromia spot, without pigment. That is why you see the pearly white coloring, with the edges of the lesion darker than the rest of the skin."

"It is a health problem but does not cause itching, burning, or anesthetic sensation. Rather, its consequences have a psychological effect because it affects the aesthetics of the individual and causes them to become somewhat isolated and slow to respond to treatments."

The prognosis for patients is favorable because no other parts of the body are involved and the sufferer's life is not endangered. However, it's a chronic disease that can decompensate and take a long time to recover from.

"Different types of treatment have been used; all to stimulate the melanocyte that is still intact to produce melanin. Melagenin Plus, a medicine patented by the Placental Histotherapy Centre, is applied in Cuba with encouraging results.

"Many patients from other countries even come to our country for treatment because it has been proven to be the best product for treating vitiligo. Its success also depends on the evolution time because if the lesions are recent, they respond faster."

World Vitiligo Day was first celebrated on 25 June 2011 and is a tribute to the unforgettable American singer Michael Jackson, who suffered from the disease from his youth until his death on the same date in 2009.