The key difference between leucoderma and albinism is that leucoderma causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to autoimmunity, while albinism causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to genetic mutations.
Skin pigmentation loss is a medical condition that happens due to a low amount of melanin. It is also known as hypopigmentation. In this condition, the patches of skin are lighter in colour than the surrounding skin. Loss of skin pigmentation can occur due to different reasons, such as burns, infections, blisters, chemical exposure, and medical conditions such as leucoderma, albinism, pityriasis alba, etc. Leucoderma and albinism are two medical conditions that cause skin pigmentation loss.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Leucoderma
3. What is Albinism
4. Similarities – Leucoderma and Albinism
5. Leucoderma vs Albinism in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Leucoderma vs Albinism
What is Leucoderma?
Leucoderma is a medical condition that causes hypopigmentation mainly due to autoimmunity. It is also known as vitiligo. It is a skin disorder that causes areas of the skin to turn white. Leucoderma affects 1% of the world’s population. This condition occurs when the immune system of the body attacks melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin in the skin. The signs and symptoms of leucoderma may include patches of skin or mucous membranes that lose colour and patches of hair on the body that turn silver, gray, or white colour and itchy skin before depigmentation starts. Moreover, leucoderma is caused by autoimmune conditions, genetic changes (30 genes involved), stress, and environmental triggers (ultraviolet radiation and toxic chemical exposure). The risk factor for leucoderma may include certain autoimmune conditions like Addison’s disease, diabetes type1, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, and anemia.
Leucoderma can be diagnosed through family medical history and visual examination using a wood lamp. Furthermore, leucoderma can be treated through medications (corticosteroids, topical Janus kinase inhibitors, and calcineurin inhibitors), light therapy, depigmentation therapy, and surgery (skin grafting and blister grafting).
What is Albinism?
Albinism is a medical condition that causes hypopigmentation mainly due to genetic mutations. In this condition, the skin losses its pigmentation all over the body. Albinism is caused by genetic mutations that are inherited in either an autosomal recessive pattern or an X-linked recessive pattern. Sometimes, rare genetic syndromes such as Hermansky Pudlak syndrome and Chediak Higashi syndrome can cause albinism. The risk factors for this condition include children of parents who have albinism, children of parents who do not have albinism but carry faulty genes that cause albinism, and people who have family members suffering from albinism. The symptoms of albinism may include very pale skin, hair, and eyes, patches of missing skin pigment in the entire body, crossed eyes, rapid eye movements, vision problems, and light sensitivity.
Moreover, albinism can be diagnosed through family medical history, physical examination, eye examination, comparing the child’s pigmentation to that of other family members, and genetic testing. Furthermore, albinism can be treated through eye care (surgery for eye problems), skin care and prevention of skin cancer, lifestyle, and home remedies (using low vision aids, using sunscreen, strictly avoiding lengthy sun exposure, wearing protective clothing and protecting eyes by wearing dark UV blocking sunglasses) and coping with emotional and social issues.
What are the Similarities Between Leucoderma and Albinism?
- Leucoderma and albinism are two medical conditions that cause skin pigmentation loss.
- Both conditions are characterized by patches of skin or hair that lose their normal colour.
- Both conditions are not life-threatening conditions, but they can cause complications.
- These conditions can be diagnosed through medical history and physical examination.
- They are treated through topical medications and addressing emotional and social issues.
What is the Difference Between Leucoderma and Albinism?
Leucoderma is a medical condition that causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to autoimmunity, while albinism is a medical condition that causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to genetic mutations. Thus, this is the key difference between leucoderma and albinism.
The below infographic presents the differences between leucoderma and albinism in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Leucoderma vs Albinism
Leucoderma and albinism are two medical conditions that cause skin pigmentation loss or hypopigmentation. Both these conditions are characterized by patches of skin or hair that lose their normal colour. However, leucoderma causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to autoimmunity, while albinism causes skin pigmentation loss mainly due to genetic mutations. So, this is the key difference between leucoderma and albinism.
Reference:
1. “Leukoderma.” DermNet.
2. “Albinism.” NHS Choices, NHS.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Vitiligo2” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Albino-white-asian-albinism-skin” (CC0) via Pixabay