"Why does the Prime Minister's beard have white spots?". "Why did Edouard Philippe's beard turn partly white?". For some time, the slightly discolored beard of the head of government has raised many questions. At each of his appearances, this depigmentation, which only concerns his left cheek, is commented on by the French. And there are many hypotheses: on social networks, Internet users attribute this discoloration to stress linked to its function, or even to its age.
The Prime Minister has never spoken about this physical peculiarity until today. He explained for the first time the reasons for the whitening of his beard in the columns of Paris Match, on newsstands this Thursday, June 18. The head of government says it is a medical condition. "It is a disease – a vitiligo – not serious, neither painful nor contagious", he reveals. This often overlooked skin condition affects between 0.5 and 1% of the world's population, according to Inserm.
Vitiligo: what is it?
Vitiligo, which means "white spot" in Latin, is a skin disease. It is characterized by the appearance of depigmented spots of a white-ivory color. The first areas affected by this dermatosis are mainly the face, feet, hands, genitals and joints. In some cases, the hair and the hairs can also turn white.
Vitiligo can affect both men and women and can occur at any age. According to Orphanet, this progressive depigmentation occurs between 10 and 20 years in more than half of the cases. Individuals who suffer from an autoimmune disease, such as hypothyroidism, diabetes or hyperthyroidism, are more likely to develop vitiligo than the rest of the population.
This condition can take two forms. In the least frequent form, called segmental, discoloration is unilateral. It affects only one part of the body and is defined by a well-defined area of the skin. As for its size and extent, they vary from one person to another. non-segmental vitiligo is more common. This form usually begins with the appearance of a single white spot, which can develop and widen over the years. Itching can also herald the appearance of new spots. These can end up covering almost the entire body. In this case, we are talking about a vitiligo universalis.
What are the causes of vitiligo?
Vitiligo is said to result from the gradual disappearance of melanocytes, cells that synthesize melanin and are responsible for the pigmentation of the skin. The cause of this disappearance is still unknown. "The appearance during psycho-emotional or physical trauma is often mentioned", can we still read on the Orphanet website.
Vitiligo: how to diagnose it?
To establish the clinical diagnosis of vitiligo, the dermatologist performs a careful examination using Wood's lamp, a device that allows the skin to be observed with ultraviolet light. This examination makes it possible to better observe the vitiligo spots but especially to determine whether the melanocyte deficit is partial or total. In some cases, the doctor may ask the patient to perform a skin biopsy to distinguish vitiligo from other skin depigmentations such as eczema, psoriasis, lupus discoid, scleroderma or certain forms of leprosy.
How to treat vitiligo?
There is currently no treatment that completely cures vitiligo. Nevertheless, certain therapeutic methods make it possible to "recolor" the depigmented spots, by stimulating the proliferation of the melanocytes still present within the organism. If the patient requests it from his doctor, he may have recourse to phototherapy. This technique involves exposing your body two to three a week to light or UVB radiation in the cabin. The results of this technique vary widely.
Another method: oral photochemotherapy. Substances stimulate the formation of melanin under the action of light and ultraviolet rays. Dermocorticoids and immunosuppressants are also indicated, but in particular for more extensive vitiligos. They decrease the activity of the immune system and stop the disappearance of melanocytes.
Vitiligo patients may also receive a melanocyte transplant. These cells are taken from the healthy and pigmented areas of their body and then grafted onto the depigmented parts. Specialists, including dermatologists, often recommend medical makeup, which is enough to cover up depigmented spots when vitiligo is sparse.
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