Camouflage for patients with vitiligo vulgaris improved their quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Cosmetic camouflage is important for patients with vitiligo vulgaris. However, few studies have investigated its benefit for vitiligo patients.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the psychological effects on patients with vitiligo vulgaris by camouflage lessons performed in vitiligo clinics in Kyoto University Hospital and Fukui Red Cross Hospital, Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaires were collected before and 1 month after camouflage lessons.


METHODS
Patients with vitiligo vulgaris, who visited our clinics in 2008 and had never experienced camouflage, were enrolled in this study. They took camouflage lessons and continued subsequent self-camouflage for 1 month. Control patients took no lessons and no camouflage.


RESULTS
Camouflage improved the scores of DLQI when compared with those without camouflage (P = 0.005). Camouflage improved DLQI scores from 5.90 to 4.48. In DLQI subcategories, camouflage lessons improved a subcategory of "symptoms and feelings" (P = 0.0037).


CONCLUSIONS
These data supported the idea that camouflage for patients with vitiligo not only covers the white patches but also improves their quality of life.
Tanioka
Miki
M
Department of Dermatology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. mtanioka@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Yamamoto
Yosuke
Y
Kato
Mayumi
M
Miyachi
Yoshiki
Y
D000328:Adult; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000523:psychology*
D003358:Cosmetics