About this topic
Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Melanin also helps to protect your skin from the sun. It is made by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Harm to the cells can cause white patches to appear on the skin. ‚
You may have just a few white spots in a small area. Your white spots may not change or they may grow and cover a larger part of your body. The patches affect skin that is often in the sun, like the face and arms. You may have white patches where you have had an injury, like a scrape or burn. Other skin around the eyes, mouth, and other body openings might have loss of skin color. The patches show up more on people who have darker skin. ‚
What are the causes?
Doctors are not sure of the exact cause of vitiligo. The white patches happen when cells in the skin that make pigment are harmed. Your own body may attack them or they may be harmed from something like sunburn. Stress and chemicals in the environment may also be associated with white skin patches. ‚
What can make this more likely to happen?
Having a family member with this condition raises the risk that you will also have it. It is most often found when you are between 10 and 30 years old. Your risk is higher if you have certain diseases like thyroid disease. ‚
What are the main signs?
- White patches on the skin that:
- Feel like normal skin
- Show up all at once or happen over time
- Have an irregular shape
- Hair turns white or gray early
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will do an exam and look at your skin. The doctor may look at your skin with a special light. The doctor may order: ‚
- Eye exam
- Skin biopsy
- Blood tests
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
There is no cure for this problem. The goal of treatment is to slow down the spread of the patches and color loss. Sometimes, color will come back without any treatment. In some cases, your doctor may try to put skin color back into the light patches by: ‚
- Having you take a drug by mouth or put a cream on the patch. Then, an ultraviolet (UV) light is used to activate the drug.
- Using a laser treatment
- Using skin creams to slow the loss of color. These may also put color back in the patches.
- Skin grafting that takes skin from one area of your body to attach it to the white patches
- Taking all the pigment out of your normal skin. This is called depigmentation and is done when you have lost the color in most of your skin.
- Covering the white patches with makeup, stains, or dyes
- Sunscreen
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Slow the loss of color
- Add color to the light patches
What problems could happen?
- Skin that is depigmented may be more likely to get skin cancer.
- New areas of color loss appear.
- Repigmented skin may be lighter or darker than the skin near it.
- More color may be lost over time.
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
You cannot prevent vitiligo. Once you have this problem you can protect the skin patches by: ‚
- Applying a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) before going outdoors. Ask your doctor what sunscreen is best for your skin type.
- Wearing clothing that protects you from the sun.
Helpful tips
- Talk with your doctor if you are having trouble coping with this illness.
- Talk with your family and friends about ways they can help.
- Join a support group. Talking with others who have this problem may help you to better cope.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Dermatology ‚
http://www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/vitiligo ‚
National Organization for Rare Diseases ‚
http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/243/viewAbstract ‚
National Vitiligo Foundation ‚
http://www.mynvfi.org/about_vitiligo ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitiligo/pages/introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚