Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It's caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin. Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases.
Vitiligo signs include: Patchy loss of skin color, which usually first appears on the hands, face, and areas around body openings and the genitals. Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, up to half of people who develop vitiligo do so before the age of 20. 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).
If you have vitiligo, your immune system attacks cells in your body called melanocytes. These are cells that make pigment. Depending on where in your body the immune system destroys these pigment-making cells, you will have: Lighter patches and spots on your skin.
Vitiligo often starts as a pale patch of skin that gradually turns completely white. The centre of a patch may be white, with paler skin around it. If there are blood vessels under the skin, the patch may be slightly pink, rather than white. The edges of the patch may be smooth or irregular.
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 ...
Diagnosis of Vitiligo
If you have vitiligo, the light makes affected areas of your skin appear chalky and bright. Other tests can include: Blood tests to check for other autoimmune diseases. An eye exam to check for uveitis, an inflammation of part of the eye that sometimes occurs with vitiligo.
Treatment cannot cure vitiligo.
While researchers are looking for a cure, treatment cannot currently cure this disease. Treatment can help restore lost skin color, but the color (repigmentation) may fade over time. To keep their results, many patients have maintenance treatments.
People who have an existing autoimmune disease, such as psoriasis, lupus, Hashimoto's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and hypothyroidism, are at an increased risk of developing vitiligo.
While many people feel comfortable or enjoy how vitiligo looks, it may not be comfortable for everyone with the condition. In cases of mild vitiligo, a person can camouflage the white patches with colored cosmetic creams and makeup. They should select tones that best match their own skin tone.
It spreads very quickly, faster than the other forms, but only for about 6 months (sometimes up to a year). It's such a rapid pace that patients assume it will soon cover their entire body, but it stops abruptly and usually remains stable, without changing, forever after that.
First, it is important to perform a self-check skin exam at home to look for any unusual signs or symptoms. There are no home tests that can test for vitiligo, but you can check if you have depigmented areas. It is possible for vitiligo to lead to hearing loss. This is because the inner ear contains melanocytes.
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the skin to lose melanin. Usually, this causes milky-white areas to appear on the skin in patches. There is currently no known way to prevent or cure vitiligo.
What Are The Early Signs Of Vitiligo On Lips? In most cases, vitiligo on lips starts with small patches of discolored skin. Though these white patches can appear anywhere on your lips, it usually occurs on the lateral lower lip.
Rarely, your dermatologist may recommend a blood test to get more information about a possible autoimmune response related to vitiligo. The blood test is done in the office and a doctor or staff member calls you with the result in five to seven days.
Vitiligo may occur in the same areas on both sides of the face -- symmetrically -- or it may be patchy -- asymmetrical. The typical vitiligo lesion is flat and depigmented, but maintains the normal skin texture. The dark areas around the eyes are this person's normal skin color.
Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions. Calcipotriol and tacalcitol, which are vitamin D analogs, are also known to induce repigmentation in patients with vitiligo [13,14].
At first, this might cause a small spot, called a macule, that's lighter in color than the skin around it. In time these white patches may spread and grow to cover a larger portion of the body. Sometimes these white patches spread quickly at first and then remain stable for years.
Certain components of hair dye, bleaching agents, and skin-care products can set off a vitiligo flare. Marmon advises choosing products labeled hypoallergenic that are free of harsh chemicals, fragrances, and irritants.
Vitiligo is a common skin disease characterized by the presence of well circumscribed, depigmented milky white macules devoid of identifiable melanocytes. On the other hand, hypopigmented mycosis fungoides (MF) is a rare variant of MF which presents clinically as persistent hypopigmented macules and patches.
A visual examination by a healthcare provider usually leads to an accurate diagnosis of vitiligo. Your provider may use a Wood's lamp to look at your skin. This lamp uses an ultraviolet (UV) light that shines onto your skin to help your provider differentiate vitiligo from other skin conditions.
Call your health care provider for an appointment if you have: Skin discoloration that causes significant concern. Persistent, unexplained darkening or lightening of the skin. Any skin sore or lesion that changes shape, size, or color may be a sign of skin cancer.
Understanding how melasma is different to vitiligo
Melasma is a condition with too much pigmentation, while vitiligo is a condition with not enough pigmentation. These two conditions are a result of entirely different processes and are unrelated to one another.