Vitiligo

Question: Vitiligo.............? I was born with a few Vitiligo patches on my skin... I have medium brown skin, and the patches are a light beige-golden brown. They are in various places on my body. First of all, is it EVEN vitiligo if the patches aren't white? And if it is vitiligo, will it get "worse" as I grow older? It if helps, I am fourteen years old.

Answer: yes you do have vitiligo and it could but you never really know. I know some people that have it and their skin stayed the same as they got older it will look bigger because you are getting bigger.

Question: vitiligo?? I've had vitiligo for about 12 years. I feel like I'm alone with this disease. Does anyone else have it?

Answer: Our million of population is suffering from vitiligo. The number of people affected by vitiligo disorder ranges from 40-50 million(according to the source). It forms about 1 to 2% of people in the world. 2 to 5 million people have the disorder in the United States alone. Vitiligo affects all races and both sexes equally and ninety-five percent of its victims are below the age of 40.

Question: Can women with vitiligo have healthy babies? My cousin has vitiligo for the past 20 years. She is 31 years now. Her vitiligo is in very minimal stage. She is planning to have a baby sometime next year. But she is worried if her baby will have vitiligo. Although I assured her that her baby will not have vitiligo, she is still worried. Please let me know if my cousin's baby will contract vitiligo. Thank you Jill for the positive reply. As suggested, I will ask my friend to check with her GP.

Answer: I think Jill thought you meant Vertigo. Vitiligo is a condition of the skin and nothing more. You don't "catch it". There is no clear data on why people get it or if it is indeed heredity. So what if she passes it down to her child. It's not like he or she will be disfigured and can't live a normal life. This is no reason to not have a child in my opinion. I just read an article that said there is absolutely no way to know if you will or even can pass it on to your offspring. Also, even if the baby did develop this condition in it's life, he or she will still be healthy.

Question: What is the most effective treatment for vitiligo? What is the best current treatment (no gimmicks) for vitiligo? What is easy and effective? I appreciate experience-based answers. Thank you very much.

Answer: Protopic helps on many areas, especially the face. You also may want to ask your question to vitiligosupport.org - they are an amazing vitiligo community. You may also want to try Microskin. Go to microskincenter.com and take a look - its a custom formulated cover for your skin color and condition. Jill

Question: What are the environmental causes for Vitiligo? What kind of environment causes vitiligo? Is it a certain type of environment, and can any stress lead to vitiligo? Can eating certain foods also cause the disease?

Answer: I thought him a genius too It is an auto immune disease which tend to run in families. Although the exact cause is unknown, vitiligo is sometimes set off by severe stress. Environmental factors, such as traumatic skin injury, sunburn, or stress, appear to influence whether or not an individual with those “susceptibility genes” will develop vitiligo during their lifetime.

Question: What skin disease similar to vitiligo causes lightening of skin, but not total loss of pigment? I have lighter color dots of skin on my body, but they are not white. Someone told me there is a less severe form of vitiligo or a skin disease the lightens the skin, but doesn't totally loose all its color or pigmentation, only lighter skin. What is this disease called? I would like to know more about the disease. Thank you.

Answer: go see your doctor it mite be mild vitiligo one of my relatives has mild vitiligo and he has little blotches on his arms and legs where the skin has lightened and the back of his palms and feet are lightened as well.

Question: What is the best foundation to cover vitiligo? My vitiligo has recently spread to my face so i am now more bothered by it. Does anyone know of any foundations (sold in UK) which cover it well. I know there are special camoflauge ones from the red cross but i need it as soon as. i'm pretty pale, it is just that anytime i put fake tan on or darker make up on such as bronzer it shows up really obviously. Thanks in advance.

Answer: Dermablend has the best for that it has great coverage to hide everything.

Question: How can I stop vitiligo patches from expanding? Its on my face, please help? I developed vitiligo 2 years ago, I was prescribed some creams and my face went back to normal. I am still using the creams but the white patches are developing again. How can I stop it? Thank you for your answers.

Answer: In case the disease is active and u have new lesions or extension of the old lesion, the 1st priority should be to arrest the progression of the disease.This can be done by using Levamisol in a dose of 150 mg on two consecutive days per week if the disease is limited and spreading very slowly or corticosteroid in a dose of 5 mg Betamethasone as a single dose after breakfast on two consecutive days per week if the disease is extensive and spreading very fast.Arrest of the disease is progressively achieved within one to two months.With the control of the activity of the disease most of the patients tend to develop repigmentation of the existing lesions even without any additional treatment.Repigmentation, however,can be stimulated with topical or systemic psoralens followed by exposure to ultravoilet A from an artificial lamp or sunlight. Before using any of these treatment go to your dermatologist first...Hope this helps you out. Fatima (medical student of 4th year)

Question: What is the best Camouflage cream to cover Vitiligo? My beautiful wife has got Vitiligo (she is losing the skin pigment in her skin) and it is really getting her down. What is the best camouflage cream for her to use. If you have used some for Vitiligo or to cover a tattoo or scar, what did you use and what did you think of it? thank you in advance for you help.

Answer: I've got Vitiligo on my arms and shoulders. It also shows through my hair (It's brown with a white streak). I've never done anything to cover it, it's nothing to be ashamed of or feel awkward about. Your wife is beautiful anyway!

Question: Is there any professional treatment for vitiligo in India ? I have heard that there is a good treatment for vitiligo in India . Can anyone tell me more about this ?

Answer: No, it isn't proven treatment. There is no known cure for vitiligo. However, treatment may help to improve your skin’s appearance by: * restoring pigment, or colour, to your skin, and * helping to control the spread of the condition. Treatment for vitiligo is not always successful. See the Complications section for more information about this. Treatment from your GP If you have new white patches on your skin that do not cover a large area, your GP may prescribe a corticosteroid (steroid) cream. This can sometimes stop the spread of the patches, and may restore your original skin colour. Your GP will tell you how to apply the cream to the patches and how much you should apply. The strength of the steroid cream may vary, depending on where your white patches are. For example, your GP may prescribe: * a mild cream for patches on your face, or * a stronger cream for patches on your upper body, arms or legs. Initially, your GP may advise you to use the cream for between four to six weeks. Steroid cream should only be used for a limited time because long-term use may cause side effects such as: * streaks, or lines, in your skin (striae), or * thinning of your skin (atrophy). Other mainstream treatments... Topical psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA). This option, which is also called photochemotherapy, may be effective for you if less than 20 percent of your body has depigmented patches. You'll have to visit the doctor once or twice a week for treatment. Oral psoralen photochemotherapy, or oral PUVA. If you have depigmented areas that cover more than 20 percent of your body, your doctor may recommend oral psoralen. For this treatment, you take the oral psoralen about two hours before exposure to UVA light. Narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) therapy. Narrowband UVB, a special form of UVB light, is an alternative to PUVA. Depigmentation. Depigmentation may be an option for you if you have vitiligo that covers more than half of your skin. Depigmentation therapy lightens the unaffected parts of your skin to match the areas that have already turned white. there is more information on the second link

Question: What is an effective treatment for vitiligo? My wife has small vitiligo spots (white spots with no skin pigmentation) on her legs. They are minor but they make her very self conscious, and she has to use coverup makeup whenever she wears a skirt that hits near or above her knees. Also, no Micheal Jackson jokes. She is using an herbal supplement called Kalawala, but if it is working, it is extremely slow. Does anyone know of any other treatments that have been shown to be effective?

Answer: hi are you shur its vitiligo? have she seen a dermatologist? not all tiny spots are vitiligo. i have vitligo and i get tinea versicolor usually in the summer. check our tinea versicolor and see if its similar to what your wife has. as for covering it up, sorry there are hardly any cures for vitiligo and some remedies take months even years with no progress at all i tried using make up too, it doesnt work, shell just have to get over it, i have it on my knees and feet and trust me i hate wearing shorts in summer and im only 19. so when summer gets here im going to be a little shy but ill get over it, because hey dont worry about what other people think, no one is perfect! good luck!

Question: What can cause loss of pigmentation besides vitiligo? I have light patches around my elbows, on my upper arms, thighs, around my ankles, and very weird lookin lights spots on my hand from my knuckles to my wrist. it is most visible on the right side of my body. i dont think its vitiligo because usually ppl with that have light patches around their nose mouth and eyes and i dont have it on my face. i know i need to see a dermatologists but i was just wonderein what you all think and if anybody else has the same thing?

Answer: tinea versicolor i have it too

Question: What is the best treatment available for Vitiligo or luecorderma? Can onyone suggest me the best treatment available for vitiligo which will not harm my health?

Answer: There are various treatments for vitiligo. But some of them are very effective to some people but not to all. There are some treatments which are not effective at all to anyone. Some Doctors prescribe even steroids for Vitiligo which are very dangerous to health. To my knowledge, the best treatment is in Unani medicine which is offered in Unani research centre - Hyderabad, India. This hospital is aided by Govt of India. Treatments are cheaper. You can contact them in the following address:- CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF UNANI MEDICINE, HYDERABAD An ISO 9001:2000 Certified Organization. Opp. E.S.I Hospital, A.G. Colony Road, Erragadda, Hyderabad – 38 Phone: 040- 23810246, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Question: Need to find a make-up for vitiligo that is not heavy or thick but with good cover? I want a make-up for covering up vitiligo that looks natural , not like I have on thick heavy make-up. It needs to look like the right color and have the right tone.

Answer: Oh honey... that can be tricky... I'm an esthetician - non medical care of the skin. You didn't say if you have it on your face or other parts of your body where you want to cover up the spots. Your doctor who treats you can offer you many options. I would suggest you ask for referrals for a great dermatologist - one who has an amazing esthetician / make up artist. They'll walk you through how to apply and blend. However, their products are often pricey. There's some super foundations out there. Dermablend is one and you can even find that at a department store like Filene's. Ask the person at the counter HOW to put it on, don't just let them put it on you. Then ask them for samples of different colors to take with you and try out at home. They should give you enough of each color to do your face at least twice. Ask them for "setting powder," too. It is an oil based foundation. There's another foundation out there through the "Motives" line of cosmetics. It's a custom blend foundation. The reps are specially trained to exactly match your skin tone and the products are water based. A rep will sit down with you and educate you with regard to the right colors and application techniques. Motives is a private line though, you can't get it at a department store, - some spas have it and some high end salons. If you're interested and tell me where you're located, I can get you a contact for the line in your geographical location and you can call someone to set up an appointment. They'll come to your home or if your hair salon will accomodate - they'll even go to your salon to meet with you. Good luck! And don't give UP!

Question: How do you explain to your 3 year old that she has Vitiligo? My little girl is 3 years old and has patches of Vitiligo appearing around her eyes that are very noticable. Do I tell her that it is Vitiligo and that she has this condition, and if so, how should I explain it to her? If no, then what should I tell her? I don't want to mentally strain her and make her think that she id different> Please let me know your thoughts.

Answer: Ok there are cures for this my friends sister got this they got medicine from all around the globe like from pakistan for example. Just tell him normally and friendly that you should go to doctor for them.and that it wil al be alright. Ok and if she ever gets self esteem problems,at school or w.e.. Tell her to be proud of herself. Proud of all flaws and gifts. If your proud about who you are i dont think teasing would be effective. I hope you like my message good luck.

Question: What shade of self tanner for black person with vitiligo? My mom has vitiligo and i want to buy a self tanner for her but i'm not sure which shade to buy.

Answer: Hi my mom has vitiligo also but she is asian and usually just uses Dermablend make-up to cover up her white patches. Anyway, if you want to get a self-tanner you need something with dihydroxyacetone. If you google it along with Vitiligo, you can see that a lot of people used that. Anyway, there is Avene self-tanning moisturizer, Fake Bake extreme tanning, and more that contain dihydroxyacetone. The only problem is that they can be a little pricey. If you just buy a generic sunless tanner, you would just have to buy a darker shade, the only problem with that, is the darker you get, the more orange and streaky it can get. so you have to apply evenly.

Question: Is Protopic good and safe to use for treatment of vitiligo? My dermatologist recomend me to use protopic for my vitiligo, but honestly I am kind of scary to use it because of risk of skin cancer....so any help?

Answer: hi, I am 32 and have had eczema since childhood. I recently found out about protopic on the net and asked my doc for it about a year ago. I had to stop using steriods as they were recking my skin. I have found protopic worked amazingly well to begin with and am currently using it again at the mo. my tube size is 60g and I still have about half left. It doesn't seem to be working quite so well now as it did in the beginning or else my eczema is in a particularly bad flare up. I am sorry that I don't know anything about vitiligo, but protopic supresses the immune system and that is how it prevents eczema breakouts. Like anything else it isn't a magic cure but faced with this cream or nothing I chose this as my eczema is wide spread on my hands and makes life unbearable. I am still always on the lookout for other more gentle options though and would encourage anyone else to do the same. Just make sure you use a spf on the body part you apply it to before going out in the sun. It's winter in the uk so i'm wearing gloves anyway. But in the summer I wear white thin cotton gloves and put sun cream on the backs of my hands as well. One thing I will just mention in can make my hands feel very hot and burny which I get with my eczema anyway, but this might be a new sensation for you so might want to have a cold bag of peas handy

Question: Why do some people say that Michael Jackson bleached himself and others say that he had vitiligo? Why is there a mix up anyways? Personally I believe he had vitiligo. Thanks in advance!

Answer: You're ALL right - he did have vitiligo, and he used bleaching agents so it wouldn't be so obvious. Vitiligo tends to assault its victims in patches; he was trying to even out his skin tone.

Question: Is there any situation that can trigger Vitiligo? My friend just came back from Los Angeles, where she was exposed to a lot of sunlight, and she found out that she had new depigmentation on her right middle finger. Is there any stressor that can cause Vitiligo to worsen, besides sunlight?

Answer: Howhurt - Vitiligo seems to be more common in people with certain autoimmune diseases (diseases in which a person's immune system reacts against the body's own organs or tissues). These autoimmune diseases include hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), adrenocortical insufficiency (the adrenal gland does not produce enough of the hormone called corticosteroid), alopecia areata (patches of baldness), and pernicious anemia (a low level of red blood cells caused by failure of the body to absorb vitamin B12). Scientists do not know the reason for the association between vitiligo and these autoimmune diseases. However, most people with vitiligo have no other autoimmune disease. Vitiligo may also be hereditary, that is, it can run in families. Children whose parents have the disorder are more likely to develop vitiligo. However, most children will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it, and most people with vitiligo do not have a family history of the disorder. There is currently no cure for vitiligo, but a variety of effective therapies do exist. PUVA used to be the most common treatment, but it has been largely replaced by topical immunomodulators/ immunosupressants, narrow-band UVB phototherapy, and excimer laser phototherapy. For all of these treatments, it is important to realize that it takes time (often several months) to see substantial progress with repigmentation.

Question: How to know if a skin discoloration is vitiligo? And if not what can it be? I found a discolored area on my husband's back, what can it be? Can it be vitiligo? he's currently 44 yrs old and chain smokes.

Answer: If the discoloration is white then it could be vitiligo. The patch will also get bigger and there will be more than one patch.