What are the three stages of vitiligo?

As you are sure to already know, vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, not just a skin condition. The disease is complex in nature with three disease stages: initiation, progression and maintenance.

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What does vitiligo look like when it first starts?

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.

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What triggers vitiligo?

Inheriting certain genes may increase the risk of something triggering (causing it to happen) vitiligo. Known vitiligo triggers include: A severe sunburn. Injured skin (cut, scrape, burn) Getting a strong chemical like phenol on your skin.

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Can stress and anxiety cause vitiligo?

Vitiligo causes are unknown but hereditary is the top most contributing factor. A person having the tendency to develop vitiligo can suffer from this disorder when any of the following triggering factors come into action like emotional stress, anxiety or fear.

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What not to do when you have vitiligo?

Never use a tanning bed or sun lamp.

These are not safe alternatives to the sun. These, too, can burn skin that has lost pigment and worsen vitiligo. Tanning will not tan the areas that have lost color and can actually make your vitiligo more noticeable.

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Vitiligo, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

37 related questions found

What foods are bad for vitiligo?

Avoid sour food

The sourness of the food may potentially inhibit the production of melanin due to its acidic nature. Patients with vitiligo are suggested to refrain from eating citrus fruits, sour yogurt, sour pickles, and other sour foods. However, ripe fruits that are rich in vitamin C may be consumed.

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What can make vitiligo worse?

Chemicals. Certain components of hair dye, bleaching agents, and skin-care products can set off a vitiligo flare. Marmon advises choosing products labeled hypoallergenic that are free of harsh chemicals, fragrances, and irritants.

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What are the emotional effects of vitiligo?

Vitiligo causes isolation, stigmatization, loss of self-esteem, depression, and self-consciousness.

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Does vitiligo get worse as you get older?

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. This is also known as generalized or nonsegmental vitiligo, which is the most common type.

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What is the most common age for vitiligo?

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.

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What is the fastest spreading vitiligo?

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).

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Where do you first notice vitiligo?

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.

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What looks like vitiligo but not?

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.

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How can a doctor tell if you have vitiligo?

Your dermatologist may need more information about your skin cells to confirm a diagnosis of vitiligo. A skin biopsy can definitively tell the difference between missing melanocytes, which indicates vitiligo, and melanocytes that are malfunctioning for another reason.

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Can vitamin D reverse vitiligo?

Studies suggest that vitamin D3 increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis in vitro [12], which may lead to repigmentation in vitiligo skin lesions. Calcipotriol and tacalcitol, which are vitamin D analogs, are also known to induce repigmentation in patients with vitiligo [13,14].

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What stops vitiligo from spreading?

Topical steroids come as a cream or ointment you apply to your skin. They can sometimes stop the spread of the white patches and may restore some of your original skin colour. A topical steroid may be prescribed to adults if: you have non-segmental vitiligo on less than 10% of your body.

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Do people with vitiligo get sick more?

But overall the take home message is that having vitiligo does not mean your immune system is weak, or that you are more likely to get an infection. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.

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Which fruit is not good for vitiligo?

Some food items like juicy fruits rich in vitamin C or ascorbic acid such as oranges and lemon, other fermented food items as curd, alcohol, Fish, red meat are to be avoided as they have harmful effect on vitiligo and can give rise to spreading of patches.

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Which drink is good for vitiligo?

Green tea is the go-to beverage when it comes to detoxifying the body and enhancing immunity. Surprisingly, it is used by Vitiligo patients too for treating their symptoms. This is based on facts and studies have confirmed that green tea is indeed beneficial for treatment of Vitiligo.

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Are bananas good for vitiligo?

According to Healthline, foods like bananas, apples, radish, carrots, chickpeas, figs and dates can be helpful in preventing vitiligo. People with celiac disease who eat gluten-free diet can benefit from it and reduce the symptoms of vitiligo.

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Is sun good for vitiligo?

It is thought that sunlight can be both good and bad for people with vitiligo, for several different reasons. For example, on the disadvantage side, some medical experts believe it's possible that sunburn could be a trigger for developing the skin condition.

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Does vitiligo affect hair?

Vitiligo can also affect the hair, causing white or prematurely gray hair. Some people lose some of their eye color and see light spots on the colored part of an eye. Vitiligo can also develop inside your ear and may affect your hearing.

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Can you stop vitiligo from progressing?

No drug can stop the process of vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone, in combination or with light therapy, can help restore some color. Drugs that control inflammation. Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin might return color.

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