I have heard Vitiligo classified as so many different things but nobody ever asked us what would we consider it being called, sure it's easy for people who don't have vitiligo to give it a classification but I honestly don't like the word disease because it has such a negative connotation associated with that word I actually prefer the term disorder since vitiligo is a condition that can be a underlying result of a malfunctioning immune system caused by a thyroid problem or anything else that may manifest it's self thru the skin. We all have our own opinions about what we classify vitiligo too be put I personally don't like it associated with the word disease because that's so a strong word and there's lots of diseases out there but the word disease gets more attention than disorder or condition
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It is an autoimmune disorder.
Yes, it is a disorder or condition Absolutely. Unfortunately, several people (including medical community) use the word disease. I read in several journals, articles etc.
I hate the term disease but I understand that the medical professional's have to give it a name so that it can have a official classification
It simply a Condition as far as am concerned,I may have made a mistake though and wrote disease in the past, but I never see it as a disease. I remember when I was trying to register the organisation, it was very tough as they cancelled and canlled every name I come up with always with a phrase 'name vague and misleading, what is Vitiligo'. Eventually they asked me to add disease to the name if I want it approved and I refused totally.
I get interviewed in print media and I spell it out Vitiligo Condition and they end up publishing Vitiligo disease.How can it be a disease when it is not contagious, illness etc. If we say disorder, disorder of the skin or the immune?
Carl if you said that the word disease gets more attention, I ask you, has Vitiligo gotten any attention?
WHO classified it a disease so the world called it a disease, maybe till they change what they call Vitiligo as one of the highest authority in in Health.
I never liked the word disease associated with vitiligo because I remember when I was younger people used to be scared to sit next to me on public transportation because they used to whisper " He has a skin disease" and I used to hate that because it makes our vitiligo sound worst than what it is. Ogo I can't say that all diseases are contagious because they are not take "Heart Disease" or "Cancer" for example They are disease but not contagious so I can't say a disease is something that's contagious or communicable I prefer the term disorder because that means something is out of whack in our bodies and it causes the pigment to leave our skin but I guess some medical professional's use the term disease only for classication purposes.
Carl I got it there at saying it cant be called a disease just because its not contagious...yes its not just contagious condition's that are called diseases, Vitiligo to me is not an illness, but maybe psychological, psychosocial and emotional illness