But cosmetics can help, and there are a number of treatments that can minimize, camouflage, or even eliminate the white patches. These include steroid creams and a treatment known as photochemotherapy, in which drugs and ultraviolet light are used in combination. People who have vitiligo on more than 50 percent of their bodies may benefit from depigmentation, in which patients apply a drug that fades the skin to match the depigmented areas.
Other treatments include skin grafts and tattooing the depigmented skin to make it darker. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends limiting exposure to the sun, using sunscreen every day and wearing sun-protective clothing. Tanning beds should be avoided. So should tattoos. The skin damage a tattoo causes can lead to a new patch of vitiligo. In cases of mild vitiligo, the patient can camouflage some of the white patches with colored, cosmetic creams and makeup. They should select tones that best match their skin features.
If creams and makeup are correctly applied, they can last 12 to 18 hours on the face and up to 96 hours for the rest of the body. Most topical applications are waterproof. When the affected area is widespread, covering 50 percent of the body or more, depigmentation can be an option.
This reduces the skin color in unaffected parts to match the whiter areas. Depigmentation is achieved by applying strong topical lotions or ointments, such as monobenzone, mequinol, or hydroquinone.
The treatment is permanent, but it can make the skin more fragile. Long exposure to the sun must be avoided. Depigmentation can take 12 to 14 months, depending on factors such as the depth of the original skin tone.
Corticosteroid ointments are creams containing steroids. Some studies have concluded that applying topical corticosteroids to the white patches can stop the spread. Others have reported total restoration of the original skin color. Corticosteroids should never be used on the face. If there is some improvement after a month, the treatment should be paused for a couple of weeks before starting it again.
Calcipotriene is a form of vitamin D used as a topical ointment. It may be used with corticosteroids or light treatment. Side effects include rashes, dry skin, and itching. Ointments containing tacrolimus or pimecrolimus, drugs known as calcineurin inhibitors, can help with smaller patches of depigmentation.
However, the United States U. Food and Drug Administration FDA warn of a connection between these drugs and skin cancer and lymphoma. As the skin heals, a more normal coloration sometimes returns. Treatment may need to be repeated two or three times a week for 6 to 12 months. Psoralen increases the risk of sunburn and skin damage, and therefore also skin cancer in the long term. It is not recommended for children under 10 years.
In a skin graft, a surgeon carefully removes healthy patches of pigmented skin and uses them to cover affected areas. This procedure is not very common, because it takes time and can result in scarring in the area where the skin came from and the area where it is placed. At Easton Dermatology Associates , our experienced team of dermatologists and physician assistants can help you minimize the appearance of vitiligo using excimer laser treatments. Vitiligo causes a loss or lightening of pigment in your skin, and can also affect your hair and eye color.
If you have vitiligo, melanin-producing cells called melanocytes start to malfunction, causing depigmentation of your skin. Anyone can get vitiligo, but it is more commonly seen in people with darker skin tones. The signs of vitiligo can appear at any stage of life, and include:.
If you have vitiligo, you may also have had early signs of thyroid issues. I have always thought that vitiligo was beautiful, including the many patterns that form on individuals with different skin colors, shades, and hues. Vitiligo can appear on any part of the body, in many different shapes and forms.
It is most frequent on the face and genitals, then the hands and feet, and then the rest of the body. One woman outlined all of her spots with a pen, which I thought was really cool and I included her picture in my blog about vitiligo and tattoos here with her permission, of course.
Since I have seen many patients over many thousands of visits in my Vitiligo Clinic, I have seen a LOT of patterns, but I still see new ones all the time. Hairless areas on the body in most people include the lips, fingertips, knuckles, underside of the wrists, feet, and parts of the genital areas. If your pattern of vitiligo predominantly involves these areas such as vitiligo on the lips and fingertips, for example , then it is more difficult to treat. So, some doctors like to label the types because they know which ones have a better or worse prognosis with treatment based on their distribution in these areas.
Usually vitiligo manifests as multiple spots on the skin that are found on both sides of the body, most commonly in a symmetric pattern. So, if there is a spot on one side of the face, there is often a matching spot on the other side. If a spot is found near the center of the body, it will grow across the middle and involve the other side as well.
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