Although vitiligo can develop in anyone at any age, macules or patches usually become apparent before age 30. You might be at a higher risk of developing vitiligo if you have certain autoimmune conditions like: Addison's disease.
Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually appears before age 30.
But despite its high incidence in childhood and early adulthood, vitiligo can happen at any age, says the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
Anyone can get vitiligo, and it can develop at any age. However, for many people with vitiligo, the white patches begin to appear before age 20, and can start in early childhood.
Known vitiligo triggers include: A severe sunburn. Injured skin (cut, scrape, burn) Getting a strong chemical like phenol on your skin.
In conclusion, the findings from this study indicate that vitiligo patients have high levels of perceived stress. In patients predisposed to vitiligo, metabolic and psychological stress might influence the onset and progression of vitiligo.
Pre-vitiligo patches appear as pale yellow patches before they turn into white vitiligo patches. It is beneficial if one notices them and treats this problem at an early stage and not let it convert to vitiligo. Mostly they start affecting the areas like face, knees, elbows, back of the hand, etc.
Vitiligo affects approximately 0.5% to 1% of the population. Its prevalence is similar in both genders and in all races. It can appear at any age, but it often starts before the age of 20. The disease does not affect life expectancy.
There is no "cure" for vitiligo. Sometimes patches go away on their own. But when that doesn't happen, doctors can prescribe treatments that might help even out skin tone. Some of these treatments are things you can try at home; others are done by a doctor.
It is thought that sunlight can be both good and bad for people with vitiligo, for several different reasons. For example, on the disadvantage side, some medical experts believe it's possible that sunburn could be a trigger for developing the skin condition.
It is also true that the lack of pigment in the skin in vitiligo patients, which results from the loss of the pigment-producing cells called melanocytes, makes them more likely to burn when spending time in the sun.
Females tend to present with vitiligo at an earlier age, with a peak prevalence during the first decade of life, whereas male peak prevalence is in the fifth decade of life.
Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches. But there are ways to tell the difference: vitiligo often develops symmetrically (on both sides of your body at the same time), while pityriasis versicolor may not.
Another condition that rarely causes a true white spot is nevus depigmentosus, which is a birthmark that usually appears within the first few months of life, has jagged edges, usually doesn't turn the hair white, and doesn't grow in size like vitiligo – it may get larger as the child grows and the skin stretches, but ...
However, people with vitiligo are usually in good health and live normal lives. If it is not associated with symptoms that cause physical discomfort or complications, the condition may be left untreated. Otherwise, there are 3 treatment options for vitiligo: Camouflage using makeup and dyes to conceal affected areas.
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way. The normal role of the immune system is to protect you from infections and cancer.
If vitiligo is not treated, it may spread extensively to involve various skin areas. Rarely, some patches may go away or decrease in size. Although vitiligo is neither dangerous nor causes symptoms, such as pain or itch, the sufferers may be upset and stressed because of the way their skin appears.
Areas of your skin that lose their pigment are called macules if they're less than 1 centimeter wide, or patches if they're larger than 1 centimeter. If you have vitiligo on a part of your body that has hair, your hair may turn white or silver. The condition occurs when your body's immune system destroys melanocytes.
NIAMS notes a number of other features that set vitiligo apart from other skin diseases. For one, depigmented patches of skin tend to be symmetrical. They also tend to progress quickly and may connect and cover large areas of your body. Early signs of vitiligo tend to develop during childhood, or before the age of 20.
Many people who have vitiligo are often otherwise healthy. Even so, it's important to find a doctor like a dermatologist who knows about vitiligo. People who have vitiligo have a higher risk of getting some other medical conditions. You can also get painful sunburns on the skin that has lost color.
If you suspect you may have vitiligo, visit your primary care doctor or a dermatologist. At your appointment, your doctor will likely ask about risk factors such as: Whether a close relative has been diagnosed with vitiligo. Whether you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.
First-line vitiligo treatment includes moderate-to-high strength topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, both of which dampen the cellular immune response (Table 1).
Topical steroids come as a cream or ointment you apply to your skin. They can sometimes stop the spread of the white patches and may restore some of your original skin colour. A topical steroid may be prescribed to adults if: you have non-segmental vitiligo on less than 10% of your body.