What is VITILIGO?

Vitiligo is a condition in which the patient loses pigment of the skin. It appears as flat patches of white skin with no change in texture. Vitiligo can affect any area of the skin, but is most common…

• On the face and mouth
• Around the eyes
• Near the elbows and knees
• On the hands and feet
• Vitiligo can also be found on the rectum and genitalia

If Vitiligo occurs in a hairy area, the hair is likely to lose color as well. The condition tends to be more noticeable on people with darker skin.

What Causes It?

Treatment of Vitiligo is difficult because the cause is unknown, though it can be associated with certain autoimmune disorders. Heredity may be a factor since many people have a family history of Vitiligo. It generally begins as one or more small spots that gradually enlarge. These spots of no color are more likely to sunburn. You should carefully protect this area of your body with a good sun block to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.

What Can Be Done?

Vitiligo is difficult to treat and most cases go untreated. The goal of therapy is repigmentation, or creating skin color in the affected areas. One treatment begins with topical or oral 8-methoxypsoralen or trimethylpsoralen, light sensitizing drugs, followed by exposure to sunlight. These treatments are prolonged and may require up to one hundred or more treatments to achieve optimal results. Another approach using strong topical steroids applied over 6 to 12-week courses to the affected areas may cause some repigmentation.