Vitiligo can start at any age, but usually appears before age 30. Depending on the type of vitiligo you have, it may affect: Nearly all skin surfaces.
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.
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.
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. Anemia.
Vitiligo may flare or spread due to: Stress. Sunburn, cuts, or other skin damage. Chemical exposure.
Vitiligo occurs when immune cells destroy the cells that make brown pigment (melanocytes). This destruction is thought to be due to an autoimmune problem. An autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system, which normally protects the body from infection, attacks and destroys healthy body tissue instead.
Use sunscreen with a high SPF, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during peak sun hours. Avoiding Trauma to the Skin: Physical trauma or injuries to the skin (such as cuts, burns, or abrasions) can sometimes trigger new vitiligo patches. Taking precautions to avoid such trauma can help prevent exacerbation.
Jackson usually avoided wearing patterned clothing to avoid attention to the disorder. Jackson's autopsy confirmed that he had vitiligo. His skin was found to have reduced (though not absent) melanocytes, the cells active in skin pigmentation. Vitiligo occurs in three different patterns.
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.
Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches.
No drug can stop the process of vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone, in combination or with light therapy, can help restore some color. Drugs that control inflammation. Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin might return color.
The signs of vitiligo can appear at any stage of life, and include: Loss of skin color in patches, usually seen first on your face, hands, arms, legs, and feet. Premature whitening of your body hair, including facial hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Loss of color of the tissues inside your nose.
The authors have reported a case of vitiligo in Saudi Arabia that has shown spontaneous reversal of vitiligo manifested in the form of repigmentation of macular lesions. It is an extremely rare phenomenon, as the majority of vitiligo patients show a progressive pattern.
Conclusions. Based on our findings, vitamin D levels were significantly low in patients with vitiligo in comparison with controls; however, we did not observe any significant effect of vitamin D on the occurrence and extension of vitiligo lesions.
There is no "cure" for vitiligo. Some patches will clear up without treatment. For those that don't, treatments can help to even out the skin tone. You can try some at home; others require treatment by a doctor.
A skin biopsy can definitively tell the difference between missing melanocytes, which indicates vitiligo, and melanocytes that are malfunctioning for another reason. Vitiligo is diagnosed only if these pigment-producing cells are missing.
A 2018 review suggests various natural remedies, including ginkgo biloba, green tea, and aloe vera, may improve vitiligo symptoms. However, more research is necessary to determine their safety and effectiveness. People should speak with a doctor before trying natural remedies to ensure they are safe.
What is the life expectancy with vitiligo? It's important to clarify a common misconception: vitiligo does not affect life expectancy. Vitiligo is primarily a cosmetic condition, characterized by the loss of skin pigment.
It was also confirmed by the analysis of Michael Jackson's autopsy that he suffered from skin pigmentation disorder vitiligo because his skin turned white on his chest, face, arms and abdomen. The lips of the 'They Don't Care About Us' singer was found to be tattooed pink and his eyebrows were tattooed black.
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.