Vitiligo – Vitiligo is a an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the pigment cells in the skin resulting in white patches on the body.
What is Vitiligo?
The white patches are more common where your skin is exposed to the sun. In some cases, the patches spread. Vitiligo can cause your hair to gray early. If you have dark skin, you may lose color inside your mouth.
Using sunscreen will help protect your skin, and cosmetics can cover up the patches. Treatments for vitiligo include medicines, light therapy, and surgery. Not every treatment is right for everyone. Many have side effects. Some take a long time. Some do not always work. [1]
Vitiligo Symptoms
White patches on the skin.
SPECIALISTS
- Dermotologist
BLOOD TESTS
- None applicable.
MEDICATIONS
- Corticosteroid
- Light treatment
Vitiligo Treatment
If you have vitiligo and want to treat it, you should discuss treatment options with a dermatologist. There are many treatment options. The goal of most treatments is to restore lost skin color.
Here are some key facts about treatment options to help you start a conversation with a dermatologist. The type of treatment that is best for you will depend on your preference, overall health, age, and where the vitiligo appears on your body. Some people choose not to treat vitiligo.[1]
- No medical treatment (use cosmetics to camouflage lost color)
- Medicine applied to the skin
- Light treatment
- PUVA light therapy
- Surgery
- Unconventional treatments
- Depigmentation
