Ask Dr. H: Different causes for albinism, vitiligo

Question:

What causes a person to be born albino? I have a friend who has patches of vitiligo. Are the two conditions related?

Answer:

Albinism, unlike vitiligo, is a condition that one is born with and not acquired. The word comes from the Latin word meaning "white." There are six types of albino disorders, each caused by a genetic defect.

When we tan, melanin-producing cells in the skin cause darkening and freckles. The amino acid protein tyrosine within melanin cells is converted to the pigment melanin. In albinism, a person cannot form melanin pigment from tyrosine because of one of those six genetic defects.

What results is one of the following: a partial loss of pigment to a section of hair; a complete absence of skin pigment; a complete loss of eye pigment; or complete loss of skin and eye pigment (i.e., complete albinism).

Those with albinism of the skin lack the normal protection against sunburn and skin cancer. They need to wear protective clothing and hats, and use sunscreen with a high SPF rating to shield the skin from ultraviolet damage.

Those with albinism of the eyes have uncorrectable poor vision since the retina needs melanin pigment for proper development of the nerve connections between the eye and the brain. Another feature is that their eyes continually move back and forth in a horizontal motion that they can't control well. They'll often use adaptive tricks like a head tilt or turn to reduce movement.

Vitiligo, by contrast, is an autoimmune disorder in which, for unclear reasons, the body begins attacking patches of melanin-producing cells to cause irregular areas of skin without skin pigment. There is contrast between normal pigmented skin and de-pigmented skin. In albinism, the absence of skin pigment is uniform and total.

In the United States, it's estimated that 18,000 people have albinism. Parents of most children with albinism do not have albinism themselves, although the gene for it is within them. Most parents of children with albinism have no family history of albinism.

Albinism can affect people of all races, and is especially more noticeable in those of a darker color. While albinism has no bearing on life expectancy, the stares, ridicules and discrimination can affect quality of life.

For information, contact the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation at

» READ MORE: www.albinism.org

or 1-800-473-2310.