Vitiligo is a skin condition that occurs when the cells that are responsible for your skin color are destroyed. These cells, called melanocytes, no longer produce skin pigment, or melanin, causing areas of your skin to lose color or turn white.
Between0.76 percent and 1.11 percentof adults in the United States have been diagnosed with vitiligo, according to a 2020 survey. The global prevalence is between 0.5 percent and 2 percent.
Areas of lost pigment can develop anywhere on your body,
- sun-exposed areas, like the hands, feet, arms, and face
- inside the mouth or other mucus membranes
- nostrils
- genitals
- back of the eye
- within the hearing system of the ear
Your hair may also turn gray or white if the areas involved have hair.
Even though vitiligo can affect many different parts of the body, it’s not contagious. A person with vitiligo can’t pass it on to someone else.
Vitiligo can cause several symptoms, including:
- white patches on the skin
- premature graying orwhitening of the hair, eyebrows, facial hair, or eyelashes
- loss of pigment in the mucous membranes, including the inner lining of the nose and lips
One
However, the specific areas that are affected may vary depending on the type of vitiligo. According to a2020 review, types of vitiligo include:
- Universal vitiligo.This type of vitiligo affects most of the surfaces of the skin.
- Segmental vitiligo.White patches appear on one side of the body. Many times it continues for a year or so, then stops. It also progresses slower than generalized vitiligo.
- Generalized vitiligo.Widespread white patches appear symmetrically on both sides of the body. This is the most common pattern and can affect pigment cells anywhere on the body. If often starts and stops many times over the course of a person’s lifetime.
- Focal vitiligo.Patches tend to be smaller and occur in only a few areas of the body.
- Acrofacial vitiligo.This form of vitiligo primarily affects the face, hands, and sometimes feet.
It’s unknown exactly what causes vitiligo. The condition doesn’t appear to be inherited, and many people with vitiligo don’t have a family history of the disorder. However, the
According to a
Most researchers believe that vitiligo is anautoimmune disorderbecause your body is attacking your own cells. A
Many autoimmune diseases may be associated with vitiligo, including:
- thyroiditis, caused by an improperly functioningthyroid
- lupus
- psoriasis
- alopecia areata, or baldness
- type 1 diabetes
- pernicious anemia, an inability to absorb vitamin B12
- Addison’s disease
- rheumatoid arthritis
- scleroderma, a disorder of the connective tissue of the body
Some experts also report vitiligo appearing after incidents of:
Many times, vitiligo has few physical effects on the body. The most serious complications are in the ears and eyes, but these aren’t common.
The primary physical effect is that the loss of pigment increases your risk of sunburn. You can protect your skin by applying sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, and wearing sun protective clothing.
Psychological effects
Research shows that vitiligo can cause significant psychological effects. According to a 2016 review,
They also reported:
- avoiding physical activities
- withdrawing from events
- feeling like their condition is a disfigurement
- depression
- anxiety
- emotional burden
If you have vitiligo and are feeling any of these negative effects, talk with your doctor or someone who cares about you. It’s also important to learn as much as you can about the disorder. This can help alleviate stress you may have about your condition or treatment options.
Talk with your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- white patches or loss of pigmentation in the skin
- premature graying or whitening of the hair on the scalp, face, eyelashes, or eyebrows
- loss of color in the inner lining of the nose or mouth
Vitiligo doesn’t have a cure, but early treatment can help slow discoloration and restore pigmentation to any affected areas of the skin.
Because vitiligo is often associated with other conditions, treatment can also help identify and address any underlying health issues.
During your visit, your doctor will
Be sure to report anything that could be a contributing factor, like recent sunburns, premature graying of your hair, or any autoimmune diseases you may have. Also let your doctor know if anyone else in your family has vitiligo or otherskin diseases.
Others questions your doctor may ask are:
- Where on your body did it first start?
- Does anyone in your family have vitiligo?
- Does anyone in your family have an autoimmune disorder?
- Have you tried any treatments already?
- Are any areas getting better or worse?
Your doctor may also use an ultraviolet lamp to look for patches of vitiligo. The lamp, also known as aWood’s lamp, helps your doctor look for differences between vitiligo and other skin conditions.
At times your doctor may want to take a sample of skin, known as abiopsy. A lab will look at these samples. Skin biopsies can show if you still have pigment-producing cells in that area of your body.
Blood tests can help diagnose other problems that may go along with vitiligo, such as thyroid conditions, type 1 diabetes, oranemia.
Treatments for vitiligoaim to restore color balance to your skin. Some treatments aim to add pigment, while others remove it. Your options will vary according to:
- the severity of your condition
- the location and size of your patches
- how many patches you have
- how widespread the patches are
- how you respond to treatment
For
Always contact your doctor if you start experiencing side effects due to a treatment. They may adjust your dosage or provide alternatives.
Medical
You’ll usually need at least 3 months of treatment before you can see its effects. According to a
- Topical creams.Some creams, includingcorticosteroidsand calcineurin inhibitors (anti-inflammatory creams),
can help 返回在初期白斑颜色s. Others help slow the growth. You’ll need a prescription for creams that are strong enough, but they can also cause side effects when used for a long time. Side effects can include skin atrophy, thinning, excess hair growth, and skin irritation. - Oral medications.Some medications like steroids may be effective in treating vitiligo. These are only available by prescription.
- Psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) light therapy.This treatment combination
requires you to take psoralen as a pill or apply it to your skin as a cream. Then, your doctor exposes you to UVA light to activate the drugs, which help restore color to your skin. Afterwards, you’ll need to minimize sun exposure and wear protective sunglasses. PUVA does have side effects that can include sunburn,nausea, itching, andhyperpigmentation. - Narrowband ultraviolet B light therapy.This is an alternative to traditional PUVA therapy. This treatment provides a more focused type of light therapy, often leading to fewer side effects. It can also be used as part of a home treatment program under a doctor’s supervision.
- Excimer laser treatment.This treatment helps with small areas of patches and takes less than 4 months, two to three times per week.
- Depigmentation.According to a
2017 study , your doctor may recommend depigmentation if more than 50 percent of your body is affected and you want to balance your skin. This often is a solution when treatments to return pigment to your skin have failed.Depigmentationfocuses on fading the rest of the skin to match the areas that have lost color. You’ll apply a medication like monobenzone as directed by your doctor. Though it can take up to 2 years to be effective, this treatment tends to be permanent. In addition to causing inflammation, it can also increase sensitivity to sunlight.
Surgical
Surgical options are available when medications and light therapy don’t work. Your doctor can recommend surgical options if your vitiligo patches are stable, and your vitiligo wasn’t caused by sun damage.
According to a
- Skin grafting.Your surgeon transfers healthy, pigmented skin to depigmented areas. Risks include infection, scarring, or failure to repigment.Skin graftingusing blisters is another option with fewer risks. This option involves creating blisters on unaffected skin and transferring the top of the blister to another area.
- Melanocyte transplants.Your doctor removes a specimen of healthy tissues, cultures the melanocytes, and then transplants the cells to depigmented areas.
- Micropigmentation.Your doctor will tattoo pigment into your skin. This is best for the lip area, but it may be hard to match your skin’s color.
Other therapies and management options
Even if you are receiving medical treatment for vitiligo, the results can be slow. So, you may want to incorporate the following:
- Sunscreen.Reducing sun expose can help keep your skin even. Tanning will add contrast to your skin, making affected areas more visible. It is important to use sunscreen with a high SPF, as areas without pigmentation are susceptible to sun damage.
- Cosmetics.Makeup or self-tanning lotions can help even out your skin tone. You may prefer self-tanning lotions because the effect lasts longer, even with washing.
- Managing mental health.Some
2018 research suggests that medication and psychotherapy can improve your quality of life. Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing negative mental health effects.
Research shows that people with vitiligo tend to experience emotional stress and low self-esteem. One2015 studyalso found that parents of children with vitiligo report lower quality of life.
However, vitiligo isn’t contagious, and it typically doesn’t cause any negative physical effects. People with vitiligo can live healthy, active lives.
It is important to find a therapist who understands this skin condition and its impact on mental health. A
- maintaining self-esteem
- preventing depression
- improving overall quality of life
Along with your family and friends, a vitiligo support group is a great source of support. These groups give members the opportunity to express themselves and meet others with the same condition.
You can also look at the #vitiligo hashtag on social media for stories of people embracing their appearance. One example is fashion model and activist Winnie Harlow, who calls herself a “vitiligo spokesmodel.”
Research on vitiligo has increased in the past years. Newer technology allows for advances in genetic research so that we can understand how vitiligo works.
Understanding how vitiligo is triggered and how its process interacts with other organ systems can help researchers develop new treatments.
Other studies on vitiligo are looking at how trauma or stress trigger vitiligo, how genetics affects vitiligo, and how the chemical signals of the immune system play a role.
您还可以看到最新的临床试验了tClinicalTrials.gov.