Vitiligo commonly presents in children, with half of all cases developing before 20 years of age. Although studies have characterized differences between pediatric and adult vitiligo, little is known about vitiligo presenting in early childhood.
Many people with the condition are kids and teens. Theories vary on what causes vitiligo. Some experts think it is an autoimmune disorder (in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy melanocytes). Others think it is a genetic condition, as affected kids often have a family member who also has it.
The cause of vitiligo in children is unknown, though it is known to be an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues.
Different studies underline how half of vitiligo patients develop the disease before the age of 20 years old and how about 25% of them develop the disease before the age of 8 [2].
Vitiligo usually manifests in the second or third decade of life and is believed to be an acquired condition, though a positive family history is present in 30 to 40 percent of cases. Congenital vitiligo and presentation at birth is a very rare entity, but cases in infancy have been reported.
Vitiligo often starts as a pale patch of skin that gradually turns completely white. The centre of a patch may be white, with paler skin around it. If there are blood vessels under the skin, the patch may be slightly pink, rather than white. The edges of the patch may be smooth or irregular.
Pityriasis versicolor can sometimes be confused with vitiligo, as they both cause the skin to become discoloured in patches. But there are ways to tell the difference: vitiligo often develops symmetrically (on both sides of your body at the same time), while pityriasis versicolor may not.
Anyone can get vitiligo, and it can develop at any age. However, for many people with vitiligo, the white patches begin to appear before age 20, and can start in early childhood.
Pre-vitiligo patches appear as pale yellow patches before they turn into white vitiligo patches. It is beneficial if one notices them and treats this problem at an early stage and not let it convert to vitiligo. Mostly they start affecting the areas like face, knees, elbows, back of the hand, etc.
Another common cause of blotchy skin discoloration in children is a skin infection called tinea versicolor. While often referred to as a fungal infection, this skin condition occurs when a child's immune system overreacts to a type of fungus called Malassezia furfur that is typically present on all healthy skin.
Usually, it starts in childhood or young adult: it has been estimated that about 50% of patients develop vitiligo before the age of 20 years and about 25% of them develop the disease before the age of 8, with a mean age of 4 - 5 years [2].
What causes vitiligo? Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. This type of disease develops when your immune system attacks part of your own body. If you have vitiligo, your immune system attacks cells in your body called melanocytes. These are cells that make pigment.
Vitiligo usually starts with a few small white macules or patches that may gradually spread over your body.
Treatment cannot cure vitiligo.
While researchers are looking for a cure, treatment cannot currently cure this disease. Treatment can help restore lost skin color, but the color (repigmentation) may fade over time. To keep their results, many patients have maintenance treatments.
Nutritional deficiencies
Deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D and vitamin E can cause white patches on the skin. While harmless, these white spots indicate that you need to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Segmental vitiligo is unique, even beyond the fact that it doesn't cross the midline. It spreads very quickly, faster than the other forms, but only for about 6 months (sometimes up to a year).
Localized: Skin patches are found on limited areas of the body. Generalized: Skin patches are scattered around the body. Mucosal : Vitiligo affects the mucous membranes found in the mouth and/or genitals. Focal: Skin patches remain in a small area of the body without spreading in the first two years.
If the spots are not truly white, but hypopigmented and not depigmented (they don't enhance by Wood's lamp), then they are NOT vitiligo and could be any number of different diseases and conditions.
Dermatologists use different tests to determine if you have vitiligo or another condition that produces similar symptoms. Some of these tests include blood tests and a skin biopsy.
A skin biopsy, which means taking a small sample of your skin to be examined under a microscope. Doctors can examine the tissue for the missing melanocytes seen in the depigmented skin of a person with vitiligo.
People who have this type tend to see rapid color loss on one side of the body. After 6 to 12 months, segmental vitiligo tends to stabilize, meaning that the color loss stops. Once it stops, most people with segmental vitiligo don't develop new patches or spots.
What Are The Early Signs Of Vitiligo On Lips? In most cases, vitiligo on lips starts with small patches of discolored skin. Though these white patches can appear anywhere on your lips, it usually occurs on the lateral lower lip.
The first signs of vitiligo in kids are white patches on the skin that are commonly found on the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Sometimes, vitiligo in babies also results in whitening of hair. In some children, vitiligo patches don't spread whereas in some children, it spreads rapidly all over the body.
Vitiligo can cause minor changes or extensive changes in the skin. In some people, it may be hardly noticeable, while in others it is obvious. In dark-skinned people the vitiligo patches are obvious since they contrast with normal skin.