What is vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a condition in which pigment cells are damaged resulting in irregular shaped white patches on the skin.  Any part of the body where pigment cells are present may be involved.  Common areas of pigment losses are: sun-exposed areas, especially the face, neck, around the eyes, nostrils, nipples, navel and genitalia, body folds, armpits and groin, and any site of injury.  Early graying of hair on the scalp can also occur.

Who gets vitiligo?

Vitiligo affects at least 1% of the population.  It usually begins before the age of 20.  Most people with vitiligo are in good health.  Sometimes they have a greater incidence of thyroid problems or vitamin B-12 deficiency and hair loss.  Your dermatologist will check for these issues at your first visit.

A substance known as melanin determines your skin color.  This is the pigment that makes the skin brown and protects against sunburn and skin cancers.  When the pigment cells are not working properly, your skin color becomes white.  These white areas are at higher risk of developing skin cancer.

What causes vitiligo?

The cause of vitiligo is not known.  Many people have suffered an emotional stress sometime prior to the onset of vitiligo.  Sometimes a severe sunburn will bring on vitiligo.  Occasionally allergy to rubber or latex gloves, footwear or condoms can cause the condition in exposed sites.  

Consult your dermatologist if you think you may have this condition.  Other skin diseases can mimic vitiligo and the treatments are different.

How can I protect myself from vitiligo?

Try to protect your skin with clothing, a hat, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen to prevent skin cancers from forming in the white areas. Topical Vitamin C and Vitamin E are well tolerated antioxidants which block the effects of ultraviolet light.  Heliocare is an oral antioxidant that can prevent sunburn if taken in doses of 4 pills every 2-3 hours. 

Treatment of vitiligo is usually not very effective and can take over 1-2 years to work.  Many topical and oral drugs have been tried and some of these treatments can also lead to skin cancer. Newer alternative therapies claim success but treatment longer than 3-4 months without results should raise doubt as to effectiveness.  Researchers in England in 2008 found that a substance in black pepper may be able to induce repigmentation in vitiligo, and another study in 2003 showed a statistically significant slowing of the condition by taking Gingko biloba.