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Acne Help (Home) > Rare Skin Disorders > Vitiligo Vitiligo: Skin Disease, Symptoms and TreatmentVitiligo is a common skin disorder in which white spots appear on the skin usually occurring on both sides of the body in the same location. The disease has been around for thousands of years. Vitiligo occurs in 1-2% of the population. It affects sex, all races and all ages Symptoms of VitiligoPeople who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches (depigmentation) on their skin. These patches are more common in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals. Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns. In one pattern (focal pattern), the depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas. Some people develop depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies (segmental pattern). But for most people who have vitiligo, depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body (generalized pattern). In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouths. TreatmentThe traditional therapies such as the PUVA system and steroid creams, new technologies have been developed, including narrow-band UVB, Pseudocatalase cream, excimer lasers, skin grafting and pigment transplantation, topical psoralens, and potentially, the use of immunomodulators. There is no one treatment that works for everyone. Different therapies work better for different people. While one person may respond extremely well to PUVA, another may respond better to narrow band UVB or immunomodulators. For this reason, many vitiligo experts will try different therapies on a patient until they find what works best for that person.
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