It spreads very quickly, faster than the other forms, but only for about 6 months (sometimes up to a year).
Patches turn white
When vitiligo is actively destroying cells that give a person's skin its color, the patches tend to be pink or tricolor (causing a zone of tan skin between a person's natural skin color and the white vitiligo). Once vitiligo is no longer active, the patches turn completely white, as shown here.
Active vitiligo is characterized by trichrome appearance, confetti like lesions, rare inflammatory margins and Koebner's phenomenon [7]. The presence of Koebner's phenomenon also correlates with greater body surface area involvement and poor response to treatment.
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.
There is no "cure" for vitiligo. Sometimes patches go away on their own. But when that doesn't happen, doctors can prescribe treatments that might help even out skin tone.
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 — like many skin conditions — can be challenging to live with, mainly because of the way the skin looks. However, people with vitiligo are usually in good health and live normal lives. If it is not associated with symptoms that cause physical discomfort or complications, the condition may be left untreated.
Research suggests that most people who develop vitiligo do so during childhood. As you age, Dr. Mohta says untreated vitiligo often progresses to involve the surrounding skin or create new patches of discoloration.
There is no cure for vitiligo, and there are no FDA-approved treatments for repigmentation of vitiligo lesions. Treatments to attempt repigmentation include topical corticosteroids and psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) and other light therapies such as excimer laser therapy.
Vitiligo Stages
Vitiligo does not affect everyone the same. It's not uncommon to have a rapid loss of color in patches, and then the disease goes dormant for a period of time.
Light therapy.
Phototherapy with narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) has been shown to stop or slow the progression of active vitiligo. It might be more effective when used with corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. You'll need therapy two to three times a week.
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).
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.
Vitiligo signs include: Patchy loss of skin color, which usually first appears on the hands, face, and areas around body openings and the genitals. Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard.
Progression 2 years after onset of focal vitiligo, occurs in 50% of the patients with eventual progression to non-segmental vitiligo.
The condition tends to progress over time, with larger areas of the skin losing pigment. However, the patches can remain stable or even improve in some affected individuals. Researchers have identified several forms of vitiligo.
To the best of our knowledge, vitamin D significantly affects melanocytes and keratinocytes. Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions.
What is the likelihood of my vitiligo spots re-pigmenting without treatment? Multiple studies have reported spontaneous repigmentation to happen in around 1 in 5 of patients (Ramam et al., 2020; Handa & Kaur, 1999), while textbooks report it occurring in no more than a quarter of cases (James et al., 2019).
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin, which means that someone with vitiligo has an immune system that is malfunctioning in a small way. The normal role of the immune system is to protect you from infections and cancer.
Vitiligo does not pose a serious threat to one's health, but it can result in physical complications, such as eye issues, hearing problems, and sunburn. People with vitiligo also tend to be more likely to have another autoimmune disease (like thyroid disorders and some types of anemia).
Vitiligo seems to be more common in people who have a family history of the disorder or who have certain autoimmune diseases, including: Addison's disease. Pernicious anemia. Psoriasis.
Moreover, people with vitiligo lack melanin, which is the body's natural protection from the sun, so sun exposure can be particularly dangerous. That's why it's vital that people with vitiligo use broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 and above.
Significant number of vitiligo patients have diverse psychological problems. Hormonal response to psychological stress such as cortisol has a role in the development of vitiligo.
About 10% to 20% of people who have vitiligo fully regain their skin color. This is most common among people who: Receive an early diagnosis before age 20.