What is the life expectancy of someone with vitiligo?

Author: Amy Homenick III  |  Last update: Saturday, July 12, 2025

This chronic skin disease does not affect life expectancy, but it can have a significant psychological impact.

Does vitiligo lower life expectancy?

Patients with vitiligo had an overall significantly lower risk for all-cause mortality, with a fully-adjusted hazard ratio of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.72-0.78) compared with the control group.

What not to do when you have vitiligo?

Don't use tanning beds and sunlamps. Protecting your skin from the sun helps prevent sunburn of the discolored skin. Sunscreen also minimizes tanning, which accentuates the vitiligo patches. Conceal affected skin.

How fast does vitiligo spread?

Segmental vitiligo is unique, even beyond the fact that it doesn't cross the midline. It spreads very quickly, faster than the other forms, but only for about 6 months (sometimes up to a year).

What is life like with vitiligo?

As with any type of skin condition visible for the world to see, vitiligo can be difficult to live with. Many diagnosed with the disorder suffer from low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Having the information and some tools available may help you gain some control over vitiligo.

In-depth: Living with vitiligo and what doctors advise if you notice early onset signs

Does vitiligo get worse with age?

Whether or not it is associated with aging, or gets worse with age, is truly undetermined at this point. However, the results of vitiligo are permanent, though there are a few treatment options patients can consider if they are self-conscious about their appearance.

What organ does vitiligo affect?

It can occur anywhere on the body. Most commonly vitiligo affects the skin around the eyes, mouth, elbows, wrists, hands and ankles. The condition can sometimes involve large areas of skin, but it is rare for people to lose all of their skin pigment.

Do people with vitiligo eventually turn all white?

In most cases, pigment loss spreads and eventually involves most of the skin. Occasionally, the skin gets its color back.

What is the root cause of vitiligo?

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.

Can vitamin D reverse vitiligo?

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.

Which vitamin can stop vitiligo?

The spread of vitiligo stopped in 64% of the patients after treatment. Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation combined with sun exposure can induce repigmentation better than either the vitamins or sun exposure alone. Treatment should continue as long as the white areas continue to repigment.

Should I marry someone with vitiligo?

Is it advisable for a person with Vitiligo to marry? There is no reason not to marry a person with Vitiligo. It is not infectious at all. Again, please remember that Vitiligo is not a disease but a cosmetic problem only, and it is we who have to remove the stigma attached to it from our minds.

What can worsen vitiligo?

Sometimes an event – such as a sunburn, emotional distress, or exposure to a chemical – can trigger vitiligo or make it worse.

Is it OK to leave vitiligo untreated?

Although there is no cure for vitiligo, there are treatments to help stop disease progression, restore skin color, and prevent new patches. For most people, the whitened skin patches last and grow larger if vitiligo is not treated.

What famous people have vitiligo?

Famous Vitiligans
  • Winnie HarlowTop model. ...
  • Michael JacksonThe King of Pop (1958-2009) ...
  • Lee Thomas4x Emmy Award Nominee. ...
  • Big Krizz KalikoRapper and singer. ...
  • Yvette FieldingBroadcaster, producer and actress. ...
  • Rasheed Abdul WallaceProfessional basketball player. ...
  • Eddie "Among Ed" Tongol PanlilioRoman Catholic priest.

At what age does vitiligo peak?

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.

Is vitiligo a disability?

Currently, the vitiligo disability is rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 7823, the criteria for rating vitiligo. Under these criteria, the maximum 10 percent rating is to be assigned for vitiligo affecting exposed areas. 38 C.F.R.

Did Michael Jackson really have vitiligo?

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.

What triggers vitiligo to spread?

Vitiligo may flare or spread due to: Stress. Sunburn, cuts, or other skin damage. Chemical exposure.

How to reverse vitiligo naturally?

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.

Do people with vitiligo have other health issues?

About 15 to 25 percent of people with vitiligo are also affected by at least one other autoimmune disorder, particularly autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis , pernicious anemia, Addison disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis ...

Which foods increase melanin in skin?

Eating Antioxidant-Rich Foods
  • Leafy greens (kale, spinach, or collard greens)
  • Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other nuts)
  • Whole grains.
  • Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
  • Beans (red beans, pinto beans, black beans, and other legumes)
  • Berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)

What is the quality of life of a person with vitiligo?

It should be noted that vitiligo is usually asymptomatic, so its effect on quality of life is much more related to psychological problems, such as lack of self-confidence [10, 12], unpleasant body images [19], unsuccessful social relationships [9], and lower quality of marital relations [13, 20], than the exclusive ...

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