89% vitiligo patients in India report moderate to high depressive symptoms: Study

59.4 percent of patients often concealed their vitiligo using makeup, concealer, or clothing

Almost 89 percent of Indian vitiligo patients reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression, according to a study. This figure is the highest recorded rate of depressive symptoms across 17 countries examined in the study.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Dermatology on August 30. Conducted as part of the Vitiligo and Life Impact Among International Communities (VALIANT) initiative, the research shed light on the mental well-being of 3,541 patients from various nations, including 303 respondents from India. An earlier study conducted by the Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found that the Indian subcontinent has the highest prevalence of vitiligo in the world, at about 8.8 percent in 2022.

The prevalence of a negative perception of vitiligo in India was identified as a possible reason for high mental stress among patients in India, according to the study. The study analysed responses of 3,541 patients from 17 countries. There were 303 Indian respondents in the dataset.

Vitiligo is a long-term condition that causes loss of skin colour in patches. Normally, the colour of hair and skin is determined by melanin. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in a person’s skin.

Patients with vitiligo encounter significant quality-of-life (QOL) issues, which indicate that vitiligo's repercussions extend far beyond its physical manifestations. The results of the study showed that vitiligo affects the daily lives of patients, emotional well-being, and careers. The patients altered their behaviour, expressed clear discontent, and showed symptoms consistent with depression, which may be underdiagnosed.

Globally, 55 percent of surveyed patients reported experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms. These symptoms were notably more prevalent among individuals with more than 5 percent of their body surface area (BSA) affected by vitiligo, those with darker skin tones, and those with lesions on visible areas such as the face and hands.

Furthermore, the study highlighted that a quarter of the participants had received a diagnosis of depression and nearly a third reported experiencing anxiety. Psychosocial stressors are associated with vitiligo onset or flares.

More than 40 percent of patients reported that various aspects of their daily lives were frequently affected by vitiligo. Among the most stressful daily activities were making clothing choices, attending social activities, shaking hands and being intimate with their partner.

An additional revelation from the study was that 59.4 percent of patients often concealed their vitiligo using makeup, concealer, or clothing. This trend was more pronounced among individuals with larger affected BSAs, darker skin tones, and lesions on visible areas.