Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It’s caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin.
Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases.
The pale areas of skin are more vulnerable to sunburn, so it’s important to take extra care when in the sun and use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF).
Symptoms of vitiligo
The areas of skin most commonly affected by vitiligo include:
- mouth and eyes
- fingers and wrists
- armpits
- groin
- genitals
- inside your mouth
- It can also sometimes develop where there are hair roots, such as on your scalp. The lack of melanin in your skin can turn the hair in the affected area white or grey.
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. They’re sometimes red and inflamed, or there’s brownish discolouration (hyperpigmentation).
Vitiligo does not cause discomfort to your skin, such as dryness, but the patches may occasionally be itchy.
The condition varies from person to person. Some people only get a few small, white patches, but others get bigger white patches that join up across large areas of their skin.
There’s no way of predicting how much skin will be affected. The white patches are usually permanent.
