There are many reasons why you may have white patches. But the one that baffles most people is vitiligo, a skin disease characterized by depigmentation of patches of skin. The patches appear when the cells that produce melanin either die or stop functioning. If this happens, the affected patch will turn white.
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown. There are many theories though and they range from autoimmune, genetic and even neural to mention a few. Vitiligo can affect your skin, hair, and mucus membranes.
There is no known cure for vitiligo but there are treatments that can control it. Depending on your doctor’s diagnosis, you may be prescribed topical medication or phototherapy or both.
We’ve put together this post as a quick guide to vitiligo and we’ll also take a look at its symptoms as well as some treatments for it including surgical options such as grafting and laser therapy.
Vitiligo is a skin disorder in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. This happens because the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning. Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin its color.
The hair from the affected area also may turn white. The extent and rate of color loss from vitiligo is unpredictable. It can affect the skin on any part of your body. It may also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.
Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself.
Vitiligo is a skin condition in which the skin loses its color. It is caused by the loss of pigment cells called melanocytes. These cells are the ones responsible for giving your skin its color. Melanocytes also produce melanin, which protects your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
There are two types of vitiligo:
Non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) – This type affects both sides of your body and tends to spread rapidly at first, then stop.
Segmental vitiligo (SV) – This type affects only one side of your body and tends to spread faster than NSV. The changes in skin color may be patchy and larger on one side of your body than on the other.
Experts don’t know exactly what causes vitiligo. Some say it’s an autoimmune disorder where your own immune system destroys melanocytes. Other studies have shown that inheritance plays a role in this disease. If you have parents or siblings with vitiligo, you’re more likely to develop it yourself.
Vitiligo is a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. The extent and rate of color loss from vitiligo is unpredictable. It can affect the skin on any part of your body. It may also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.
The cause of vitiligo is not known. It may be due to autoimmunity, a disorder in which your immune system attacks and destroys the melanocytes in the skin. Vitiligo is not contagious.There is no cure for vitiligo, but treatment can prevent it from progressing and sometimes even restore some skin tone.
Treatment depends on the extent of your disease, how fast it’s spreading and your preferences. Treatment options include:
Topical corticosteroids. Corticosteroid creams or ointments may restore some skin tone by reducing inflammation that destroys pigment-producing cells (melanocytes). At first, corticosteroids are applied daily to areas of white patches for six months or more. After that, treatments are used less frequently to maintain color. Corticosteroid creams are generally safe when used as directed, but they aren’t recommended for use on sensitive areas such as the face or genitals. These creams
Vitiligo is a skin disorder characterized by white patches on the skin. This occurs when the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in your skin die or no longer produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color.
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown, but researchers believe it may arise from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress, neural or viral causes. Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. Early diagnosis and treatment can help minimize the appearance of white patches on the skin.
For some people, vitiligo can be psychologically devastating. If you’re concerned about cosmetic changes to your skin caused by vitiligo, talk to a dermatologist near you. Treatment options include:
Vitiligo is a skin condition which is caused by loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). It leads to white patches on the skin. The hair from the skin may also become white. Most people with vitiligo develop white patches before age 40, and the disorder affects both sexes and all races equally.
Vitiligo occurs in about one in every 100 people worldwide. The precise cause of vitiligo is not known, but several theories have been suggested. Scientists believe that a combination of genetic and environmental factors may account for development of vitiligo. It is not an infection and cannot be spread from person to person by physical contact or by breathing in the same air. However, vitiligo can affect members of the same family and some people report onset of vitiligo following sunburn or emotional distress.
People with vitiligo may experience stress or anxiety due to change in their physical appearance. They may worry about keeping their condition secret; they may feel embarrassed, self-conscious and worried about how others might react; they may be concerned about possible restrictions on work or leisure activities; they may fear rejection or ridicule; they may have difficulty getting married; they may feel depressed, sad or angry; they may feel insecure, especially when there
Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition that causes skin discoloration when melanocytes, the cells that make pigment in your skin, are destroyed.
As the condition progresses, it becomes more difficult to treat. It can affect any race and is not contagious.
There is no cure for vitiligo. Several treatment options are available to improve the appearance of your skin and to stop or slow the progression of depigmentation.
Some treatments are more effective depending on the body location of your vitiligo and its characteristics (segmental or non-segmental). Some treatments, such as phototherapy and creams containing steroids, can have side effects like redness or irritation of the skin.
In addition to skin treatments, there are surgical options available to treat vitiligo. They include removing small patches of normal pigmented skin from an area that isn’t affected by vitiligo, called autologous grafting or punch grafting; transplanting melanocyte-containing tissue onto depigmented areas of your skin, called melanocyte transplantation; and using a combination of both methods, called melanocyte keratinocyte transplantation (MKTP).