Vitiligo

Consult with Dr John Ashworth Now

refers to white patches on the skin

Vitiligo refers to white patches on the skin appearing for no apparent reason but often symmetrical right and left. The precise cause is unknown but the end result is an immune attack by the body on the pigment cells stopping them from producing the natural melanin in the skin and creating a white patch.

If your skin is naturally dark then this is a huge cosmetic problem – if your skin is naturally pale then sometimes it can be quite difficult to see the vitiligo and it is not necessarily such a great problem.

There are no reliable medical treatments for vitiligo which work consistently. Some treatments work in a small number of patients and are definitely worth a trial of treatment, these include strong topical steroids and also sometimes specialist ultra-violet light exposures.

Cosmetically, Camouflage foundation make-up can be used to cover white patches and even out the appearance of skin tone.
Vitiligo is not usually associated with any internal medical or other serious condition.

by Dr John Ashworh

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