Vitiligo can affect all areas of the body, and most people who have the condition experience white patches on multiple areas of their body. The lighter patches can be any size and often grow over time. An area of skin may start looking lighter and eventually turn completely white.
In most cases, pigment loss spreads and eventually involves most of the skin. Occasionally, the skin gets its color back.
Depigmentation. Some people with full-body vitiligo decide to focus on lightening the remaining pigmented skin areas instead of darkening the white patches. A process called depigmentation involves bleaching darker skin using solutions with a chemical called hydroquinone.
Treatment cannot cure vitiligo.
Treatment can help restore lost skin color, but the color (repigmentation) may fade over time.
And while the Mayo Clinic notes that there's a chance your skin will stop losing pigment even without treatment, or even regain its color, it's more likely that your skin will continue losing pigment over greater areas and longer periods of time.
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.
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.
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.
Vitiligo may flare or spread due to: Stress. Sunburn, cuts, or other skin damage. Chemical exposure.
Typically, there are two peaks of onset, early (<10 years) or late (around 30 years). 41% of segmental vitiligo cases start before the age of 10. 50% of non-segmental vitiligo cases start before the age of 20. 80% of all cases present before the age of 30.
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.
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.
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.
Piebaldism occurs when a portion of your skin doesn't have melanocytes, which are cells that produce pigment (melanin). You're born with piebaldism. Vitiligo occurs when your body has melanocytes, but they're destroyed. You develop vitiligo during your lifetime.
For years, fans watched the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, 's appearance undergo dramatic changes. Despite the visible alterations, the singer publicly acknowledged only two nose surgeries and attributed his increasingly lighter skin to vitiligo.
Of course, the good news is that “what you see is what you get” after about 6 months, it doesn't commonly spread to affect other areas after this. There are exceptions, of course, which I'll talk about below (that's called mixed vitiligo).
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.
The highest adjusted prevalence estimates were found among Hispanic/Latino patients and patients aged 70 years or older. Meaning The findings suggest that Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, and older individuals have the greatest burden of vitiligo in the US. Importance Vitiligo has substantial psychosocial consequences.
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.
Limiting red and processed meats, refined grains, fried foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages also provides health benefits. A person can talk with a doctor to learn whether they might benefit from changing their diet or taking a supplement.
Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid
This is why it is always recommended to take these two vitamins together in order to treat vitiligo. According to some scientific studies, a combination of vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation and sun exposure is a good strategy to regain natural skin color.
There is currently no known way to prevent or cure vitiligo. However, you can sometimes prevent your symptoms from getting worse or spreading. Some vitiligo prevention strategies—such as diet and taking vitamins—are focused on boosting the immune system.