New Delhi.  Every year 25th June is celebrated as Vitiligo Day all over the world. The purpose of celebrating this day is to make people aware about the problem of vitiligo. Vitiligo is also known as leucoderma and white spots. Many people consider it a contagious disease, so let us tell you that it is neither a contagious disease nor leprosy. This is a skin related problem. In which the melanocytes cells necessary for the color of the skin gradually start getting destroyed and due to this white spots start appearing on the skin. Usually this problem is first seen on the lips. Then gradually its effect starts appearing on other parts of the body.

History of Vitiligo Day?

The date of 25th June was chosen to celebrate this day because it is the death anniversary of famous pop star Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson also suffered from the problem of vitiligo and he openly talked about this problem and the struggles he faced due to it. Keeping this in mind, Yan Vale, CEO of The Vitiligo Research Foundation, chose the day of Michael Jackson's death anniversary to celebrate 'World Vitiligo Day'. Vitiligo Day was celebrated for the first time in the year 2011.

Significance of Vitiligo Day

The purpose of celebrating World Vitiligo Day globally is to tell people about this disease. People who are facing this problem are looked at with a different perspective in the society, they are isolated. The patient is already troubled by his disease and on top of that such discrimination has a bad effect on his mental condition . On Vitiligo Day, an effort is made to spread as much information as possible about this problem to the people through various programs and awareness campaigns.