What Are Symptoms of Vitiligo

The only sign of vitiligo is the appearance of pale to white patches on the body ,in some cases this can be preceded by itching on skin, after a new patch appears, it can
» Increase in size for varying periods of time.
» New patches can appear in other areas of the body.
» Injuries suffered during this period can turn white in color.
This is called the unstable phase of vitiligo a period of time when the disease is very much active inside the body, and can last for months to years.
The only treatment for spreading patches is medical, no surgical option is possible during this period.
Patches can appear on any part of the body may be single,or multiple, may be restricted to one half of the body ,or appear symmetrically on both sides of the body depending upon the pattern of vitiligo.
At times the loss of skin color can happen around all body openings like ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, umbilicus, anus and penis.
Like I said before Vitiligo can produce either a single patch, few patches or multiple patches on the body, accordingly we can classify it on a simpler level which a common person can understand into
1.Focal vitiligo : One or few patches appear on the body, in focal vitiligo if medical treatment fails to deliver results then Melanocyte transplant offers an excellent cure for it, once the patches have stopped spreading.
Chances of curing these patches are excellent.
2.Segmental Vitiligo : Here like the name suggest a segment of skin is affected by white patches, segmental vitiligo affects only one half of the body never crosses the midline ,does not respond well to medical treatment most of the times and responds very well to Melanocyte transplant surgery.
Chances of curing these patches are excellent.
3.Generalised Vitiligo : Here the patches are symmetrical and appear on both sides of the body, hence one can have patches from top to bottom and on both sides of the body, most common areas affected could be the eyes, bony prominences like elbows, wrist, fingers, knees and foot ,and to top it up patches can also appear on the chest ,abdomen, lips, nipples,& genitals and legs.
These patches can respond well to medical and surgical options, medical works in all the areas of the body that have black hairs and the rest that does not respond well to medical treatment can be finished with Melanocyte transplant surgery.

Pictures : Vitiligo on Face, Around Eyes and Lips

Vitiligo on Face, Around Eyes and Lips
Vitiligo is nothing but loss of skin melanin, that is skin color pigment. Due to the internal immunological process, skin may lose color anywhere including any part of the face.

For cosmetic and social reasons, patients with vitiligo always have a concern of spreading vitiligo on the face, the most visible area, as it can affect the self-esteem of the person.
Medically speaking, a random, single spot of vitiligo on one side of the face is not very difficult to treat, unless it affects lips or corner of the lip or the corner of the eyes; what is typically called as muco-cutaneous junctions; which makes the treatment difficult.

If one has vitiligo around both the eyes, again, that brings one in the ‘difficult to treat’ category, as ‘bilaterally symmetrical vitiligo’ is more difficult to show results.
In our experience at Life Force, over seven thousand cases, for one to develop symmetrical patches, there must be a strong genetic factor. That is, someone in the family must have suffered with one of the auto-immune diseases such as vitiligo, under-active thyroid, alopecia, diabetes or cancer. Many times, the patient may not be aware of such family history.

If one has lips affected with vitiligo, it is better to accept this situation and the treatment should be targeted at controlling further spread rather than curing it; as this variety is very difficult to treat. Camouflage or tattooing is a suggested treatment for it.

Vitiligo around both eyes is difficult to cure completely. However, we have documented some cases with partial or significant success at Life Force, if not all.
There is no specific treatment or medicine to prevent vitiligo on any specific part of the body such as the face. The treatment can try to control the underlying disease process whereby controlling the spread of vitiligo in general.

Single or a few, not too large, vitiligo spots on face can find good results.

Vitiligo On hands

Vitiligo on hands Pictures and Treatment

Vitiligo on hands (including back of palms, palms, fingers and finger-tips)

Vitiligo can appear on any part of the body where there is skin. The patients having vitiligo on hands are more conscious as it draws attention of people, especially in social and professional interaction. Some people having vitiligo on hands find it a bit uncomfortable shaking hands. Those involved in public appearance including teachers and speakers might feel awkward while talking in public especially holding a microphone in hand.

Is vitiligo on hands different than elsewhere on the body?

Well, vitiligo anywhere on the body results from loss of melanin pigments on skin. It is the same phenomenon if one has vitiligo on palms.
Vitiligo on finger-tips:

Vitiligo on the finger tips falls under the category of what is called as Muco-cutaneous junctions, the area where skin meets with mucus- membranes.

Any difference in the chances of recovery?

Yes, when it comes to the treatment of vitiligo which affects the finger-tips, the chances of recovery are less or none.
Vitiligo on back of the palm is not that difficult to treat, but a bit more difficult than the spots on some softer parts like abdomen. Vitiligo on the fingers (not on the tips) can see improvement with certain treatment.
Vitiligo on palms can improve to some extent; may not recovery completely in all cases.


Of course, there are variations in the results depending on individual cases.

How to treat vitiligo on hands?

We have figured out through many years researches that Vitiligo has close relation with immune system, antibodies against melanin, predisposing factors, network activity of neuraminidase, genetic and other factors,so,we gotta figure out the trigger first, and then We use the latest development of Integrated Chinese and Western medicine with advanced large-scale medical equipment at the same time according to the trigger, this treatment is called SOD6+1. Clinical use effect is pretty obvious.

My vitiligo was started when I was 14 ,How to Cure

My vitiligo was started when I was 14. So many times I've tried to find a good cure or just a cure! And about 8 mouth ago I found something called Vitilemna and I thought that it will help me and it does! I used the pill Vitilemna and gel Vitilemna and I started getting results from the 5th month! Treatment is designed for 6 months. The results are quite good for now! I can't believe it! Maybe this cure isn't so cool for everybody but I think that everyone can try to use it.
The vitamin or trance elements are the expressions of the disease, there are many causes can cause the disease such as infection, gene, environment and environment. So only supllement such things can't cure the disease. There are many recovry cases of children vitiligo patients. Some of the patients with more severe conditions. The disease didn't get preper therapy, so it spreads. The good news is your daughter didn't spread.
How to Cure Vitiligo

Our hospital apply SOD 6+1 blood removing white patches to cure the disease from a permanent aspect. We use mixed laser therapy and TCM(traditional chinese medicine) which is safe and reliable, for the medicine are herb medicine coming from the nature. The disease usually has the repeated episodes feature, that because the blood is polluted by the IL and other toxin substances in blood, usually we can controle and improve the symptoms, the blood toxin can't be removed, the disease will occur again. That is our hospital's work, we also use the common thearpy and the mixed laser therapy, and we use the TCM to remove the toxin and prevent the recurrence of it. About two weeks hospitalization, you can go home with medicine to get further step of medication to prevent and there are obvious effects on skin. what i said, you can just think about it.

Diagnosis of Vitiligo

For Vitiligo disease in a large number of studies, it has been found that vitiligo patients have a variety of laboratory abnormalities, although most of these abnormalities are nonspecific, but has a certain reference for study of diagnosis and treatment and pathogenesis of this disease.
1. Blood tests
Vitiligo do before treatment or treatment of some blood tests are necessary from which to identify potential abnormal or visceral lesions, identify the cause, can improve the cure rate is conducive to the rehabilitation of vitiligo.
(1) blood gas analysis: pH value measurement, 100 cases of vitiligo patients compared with the normal 100 cases, vitiligo average of 7.3650, the normal average of 7.3888, blood pH slightly lower than normal in patients with vitiligo.
(2) blood: Many vitiligo patients had measured blood anemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia.
(3) immune abnormalities: Vitiligo patients have been found to exist in a variety of serum autoantibodies, including thyroglobulin, antithyroid microsomal, anti-gastric parietal cells, anti-adrenergic, anti-smooth muscle, anti-cardiac, anti-insulin, anti-platelet and anti- nuclear antibodies, the positive rate ranging from vitiligo patients with serum anti-melanocyte cell surface protein found antibodies from 8.2% to 50%, of this disease is important, but with normal skin as a substrate indirect immunofluorescence assay positive rate low, using cultured melanocytes as a substrate, using a modified indirect immunofluorescence assay or immunofluorescence complement fixation method, immunoprecipitation, Western blot positive rate much higher, up to about 50% to 80%, it has been reported serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, immunoglobulin A increased compared with the normal complement (C3), serum total complement activity (CH50) decreased helper T cells (TH) reduced or increased, auxiliary T cells and suppressor T cells ratio change, the patient intradermal tuberculin test, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin test and lymphocyte transformation test showed low phenomenon occurs, there are about serum soluble interleukin -2 receptor (SIL-2R) increased levels of coverage that these circumstances do before treatment or treatment of some blood tests are necessary, may find abnormalities or potential lesions in vivo, further identified for possible The reason to do symptomatic treatment, can improve the cure rate is conducive to the rehabilitation of vitiligo.
2. Trace Elements
Through the 100 cases of patients with vitiligo hair and normal hair Copper 100 cases compared to the average of vitiligo patients 8.6898μg / g, normal is 10.0703μ / g, t-test P value less than 0.05, indicating that patients with vitiligo and low copper is closely related to, the detection of zinc, tin, manganese and normal no significant difference, other lower serum copper oxidase activity, increased serum monoamine oxidase, serum ceruloplasmin increased, in addition to reports of chromosome aberrations, patients with microcirculatory disorders It reported.
3.Wood lamp examination
Wood lamp to determine pigmentation nuances of great help, melanin absorb the whole band ultraviolet light, if melanin reduction is strong refraction, which was light, while the refractive weak increased melanin, which was dark, Wood lamp can be used to check the depth of melanin in the skin, such as checking epidermal pigmented lesions (such as freckles), when radiation can darken pigment, and intradermal pigmentation does not have this reaction, thus can determine the location of melanin in the Wood lamp, vitiligo changes in skin pigment obviously much in visible light, but changes in the Wood lamp dermal pigment is not obvious.
Auxiliary examination

In addition to the number of basal layer of vitiligo pathology melanocytes and melanin granules decreased or disappeared, in general, there is no inflammation, vitiligo basal cell layer of melanosomes and melanocytes decrease or lack of, in the activity of damage, the center melanocyte density around at the abnormal increase of melanocytes, is at the edge of the area two to three times the normal area in the earlier inflammatory phase can be observed skin edema and sponge called Vitiligo is formed at the edge of uplift, leather the visible infiltration of lymphocytes and histiocytes, major change has been the formation of vitiligo damage within melanocytes melanosomes reduce or even disappear, reportedly Langerhans cells may have increased, normal or redistribution, there is some evidence that the entire epidermis - melanin unit is damaged, no melanocytes late decolorization lesions, the use of special staining and electron microscopy is no exception, by ultraviolet radiation skin visible reactive hyperkeratosis, early upper dermis also saw a bite of pigment cells inside epidermal melanocytes at the margin of the lesion pigmentation increase melanosomes, silver staining and electron microscopy unit peripheral nerve lesions have degenerative changes, dopa-responsive inspection, complete leukoplakia almost see melanocytes, without completely type only see few melanocytes, and its response is weak, the relevant circumstances are described below.

Eye Color and Vitiligo

Eye color may help predict risk for vitiligo, an autoimmune disease in which the skin loses its pigment, a new study finds.

The study of nearly 3,000 non-Hispanic Americans of European descent found people with blue eyes are less likely to have vitiligo. Researchers also identified 13 new genes that may predispose people to the condition, which often results in uneven patches of white skin and hair.

About 27 percent of people with vitiligo had blue/gray eyes, compared with 52 percent of Americans of non-Hispanic European descent without the skin condition. Meanwhile, 43 percent of people with vitiligo had tan or brown eyes, compared with 27 percent Americans of non-Hispanic European descent. About 30 percent of the patients with vitiligo had green or hazel eyes.

Although the study focused on vitiligo, the researchers noted their findings could shed light on how eye color may help predict people's risk for melanoma. People with brown eyes are at lower risk of melanoma.

"Genetically, in some ways vitiligo and melanoma are polar opposites. Some of the same genetic variations that make one more likely to have vitiligo make one less likely to have melanoma, and vice versa," Dr. Richard Spritz, director of the Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program at University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a university news release. "Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, in which a person's immune system attacks their normal pigment cells. We think that vitiligo represents overactivity of a normal process by which one's immune system searches out and destroys early cancerous melanoma cells."


Since people with vitiligo are at greater risk for other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease and type 1 diabetes, the study's authors concluded their findings could help scientists learn more about the genetic basis for these diseases as well.

Vitiligo Signs and Symptoms

Vitiligo is a chronic disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation which are derived from the neural crest, die or are unable to function. The precise pathogenesis, or cause, of vitiligo is complex and not yet fully understood.

The most notable symptom of vitiligo is depigmentation of patches of skin that occurs on the extremities. Although patches are initially small, they often enlarge and change shape. When skin lesions occur, they are most prominent on the face, hands and wrists. Depigmentation is particularly noticeable around body orifices, such as the mouth, eyes, nostrils, genitalia and umbilicus. Some lesions have hyperpigmentation around the edges. In regards to psychological damage, vitiligo can have a significant effect on the mental health of a patient. Psychological stress may even result in an individual becoming more susceptible to vitiligo. Patients who are stigmatised for their condition may experience depression and similar mood disorders..
Non-segmental vitiligo

In Non-segmental vitiligo (NSV), there is usually some form of symmetry in the location of the patches of depigmentation. New patches also appear over time, and can be generalised over large portions of the body, or localised to a particular area. Vitiligo where little pigmented skin remains is referred to as ''vitiligo universalis''. NSV can come about at any age, unlike segmental vitiligo which is far more prevalent in teenage years.

Is Vitiligo Contagious?

As you learned on the previous page, vitiligo appears because the body can no longer produce melanin. It is not caused by a germ or virus that can be transmitted from one person to the next, so the condition isn't contagious. In fact, vitiligo patients may feel isolated and alone simply because of their looks. Avoiding them out of fear that you may catch the disease could add to their pain [source: Vitiligo Hospital ].
Lee Thomas, an Emmy Award-winning African-American television news anchor, understands the isolation and pain associated with having vitiligo. He first noticed white spots on his scalp more than a decade ago. Thomas said he hid his condition for as long as he could -- about four years -- because he feared other people's reactions to his appearance.
"And not only did I wonder if I saw a monster, I wondered did other people see a monster when they saw me, especially when kids cry when they see your face," Thomas said in an interview on the ABC news program 20/20 . Thomas went on to say that people would not shake his hand, and if they did, they would sneak away to wipe their hands as soon as they could.

Those fears are not necessary. Touching with someone who has vitiligo will not put you at any risk. And there is hope for those who have it. Read on to learn about treatments for the condition.

Good Food to Intake with Vitiligo

Following is the list of food items which you should consider adding to your diet.
This list also again complied on the basis of recommendations given by people looking to cure Vitiligo.
Vegetables
Radish,
Beet Root,
Carrot,
French Beans,
Ridge and Bitter Gourd,
Fenugreek,
Spinach,
Drumsticks and
Onion
Fruits
Mangoes,
Grapes,
Walnut,
Apricot,
Dates and
Papaya
Other Food Items
Wheat,
Pure Ghee,
Red Pepper,
Bengal Gram,
Jaggery,
Pistachio Nut,
Almond,
Potato and

Chillies

While thinking of planning for Vitiligo diet, you should also think of food allergies.
People all over the world develop food allergies all the time. The allergies alone might not be as harmful but they can accelerate your Vitiligo.
Minor allergies to things like gluten, cocoa etc. can make your Vitiligo worse.
A simple diagnostic test can help you figure out the extent of your allergies and how your body reacts to different food items.
Food allergies do tend to go away quickly. And once they are gone, your Vitiligo should come under control.

Another consideration while planning for your Vitiligo diet is the amount of antioxidants you intake daily.
Antioxidants help your body to disable free radicals.
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis can help you get the highest amount of antioxidants.

Avoid eating processed or grilled foods. These are usually full of chemicals which will reduce the levels of antioxidants in your body.

Is There Cure Vitiligo

Cure for vitiligo is based on improving your skin’s appearance by restoring its colour. However, the effects of treatment are not usually permanent, and it cannot always control the spread of the condition.
Your GP may begin treating your condition with:
sun safety advice
a referral for camouflage creams
topical corticosteroids
No further treatment may be necessary if, for example, you only have a small patch of vitiligo or have very fair skin anyway. You may be referred to a dermatologist (specialist in treating skin conditions) if further treatment is needed.

Read on to learn about the different treatments you may be offered. You can also see a summary of the pros and cons of these treatments, which allows you to easily compare your treatment options.
Vitamin D for vitiligo
If your skin is not exposed to the sun, there is an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is essential for keeping bones and teeth healthy.
Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D, although it's also found in some foods, such as oily fish.

To avoid potential problems like rickets (known as osteomalacia in adults), you may need to take vitamin D supplements.
Other treatments for vitiligo
Your dermatologist may recommend trying more than one treatment, such as phototherapy combined with a topical treatment. Other possible treatments include:
excimer lasers – high-energy beams of light that are used in laser eye treatment, but may also be used in phototherapy
vitamin D analogues – such as calcipotriol, which may also be used with phototherapy
azathioprine – a medicine that suppresses your immune system (the body’s natural defence system), which may be used with phototherapy

oral prednisolone – a type of corticosteroid, which has also been used with phototherapy, although it can cause side effects

Can Vitamin Help Vitiligo

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin which promotes wound healing, healthy teeth and gums, helps the body absorb iron and helps the body's immune system. A deficiency of Vitamin C causes scurvy, a disease characterized by small hemorrhages throughout the body that cause the gums and skin to bleed.

It has been detected in recent studies that the deposition process of melanin will be affected by excess Vitamin C. Nevertheless, Vitiligo is not caused by melanin deficiency or impossible melanin deposition in the body. Indeed, the local qi and blood disorder, meridian obstruction, non-nutritive blood for skin, qi stagnancy and pore obstruction resulted from the wind and dampness invaded in skin of patients with blood fever or body fever. Therefore, it is unnecessarily for Vitiligo sufferers to diet food containing Vitamin C. On the contrary, the patients should not take the medicine or health-care food containing Vitamin C.
To briefly summarize these dietary and lifestyle measures, they are:
Eat a plant-centered diet - the bulk of your food choices should be vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains that your body doesn't have trouble digesting.
Ensure adequate intake of vitamin B12 and DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid that strict vegans tend to be deficient in).
Ensure adequate vitamin D status through diet and sunlight exposure and supplementation if necessary.
Avoid intake of dairy products and flesh meats.
If you choose to eat some animal products, stick with small amounts of organic eggs and wild fish. Closer to raw is best. Lightly cooked is acceptable.
Strive to be emotionally balanced. Work at being a master of managing emotional stressors.

Get high quality sleep as often as possible. For most humans, nine to ten hours of restful sleep every day is an optimal amount.

Is Vitiligo Genetics ? Who Get Vitiligo

Vitiligo is apparently caused by inheritance of multiple causal genes simultaneously, possibly in different combinations in different people, plus exposure to environmental risk factors or triggers that are not yet known. Phenols, and stress whether emotional or physical, are suspected to be environmental triggers, but research continues into these and other possibilities.
Vitiligo also tends to occur more often with certain other autoimmune diseases, such as hyper- or hypo-thyroidism (an over- or under-active thyroid gland), adrenocortical insufficiency (underproduction of corticosteroid hormone by the adrenal gland), rheumatoid arthritis, adult-onset type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and pernicious anemia (subnormal red blood cell level caused by inability to absorb vitamin B12). This suggests that these different autoimmune diseases probably share at least some predisposing genetic or environmental causal factors, although these mostly remain unknown.
Vitiligo affects both genders and all races, but is more noticeable in people with darker skin.
Vitiligo can start at any age but about half of those with vitiligo develop it before the age of 20, and about 95% before age 40.
Approximately 20% of vitiligo patients have a family member with the same condition. However, only 5% to 7% of children will get vitiligo even if a parent has it.

Dr. Richard Spritz has spent several years researching the genetics of vitiligo. His work began with families that have more than one member with vitiligo in hopes of isolating a gene. Through this work came his discovery of the NALP1 gene that seems linked to vitiligo and closely related autoimmune diseases. He is currently working on a genome association study that will take all of the genes within the human genome and examine them for the possibility of being associated with vitiligo. He has recruited teams of researchers in countries all over the world to join in this effort and collect saliva samples of both vitiligo patients and healthy controls in order to identify suspect genes. Study enrollment is ongoing and continually needed; all that is required is a questionnaire and a saliva sample. The more samples he has, both patient and control, the more likely it is that his team will have results that are meaningful. More information and his questionnaire can be found here Vitiligo Genetic Study. Your participation in this research is much appreciated.

Who Get Vitiligo ?
Millions of people worldwide have vitiligo. Nearly half get it before they reach 21 years of age. Most will have vitiligo for the rest of their lives. It is very rare for vitiligo to disappear.
Vitiligo occurs about equally in people of all skin colors and races. About half the people who get vitiligo are male and half are female.
The risk of getting vitiligo increases if a person has:
A close blood relative who has vitiligo.

An autoimmune disease, especially Hashimoto’s disease (a thyroid disease) or alopecia areata (causes hair loss).
The cause is not known. Vitiligo may be an autoimmune disease. These diseases happen when your immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In vitiligo, the immune system may destroy the melanocytes in the skin. It is also possible that one or more genes may make a person more likely to get the disorder.
Some researchers think that the melanocytes destroy themselves. Others think that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress can cause vitiligo. But these events have not been proven to cause vitiligo

4 Best Food & Diet Treatment For Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a disease that can be embarrassing and difficult to treat. Marked by a lack of pigment in patches of skin, it can affect any part of your body, but common sites include the face, hands, armpits, hair and around body openings. Your physician may recommend traditional therapies, although the National Vitiligo Foundation suggests that nutritional deficiencies may contribute to the condition. Work with your health care provider to incorporate vitiligo-fighting foods into your diet.

Many people believe that keeping a healthy diet that is specific to vitiligo can control this skin disorder and promote cell regeneration as well as healthy skin.
1. Whole Grains
Whole grains are a crucial part of any vitiligo diet as they contain a great deal of fiber, vitamins and minerals, all of which work together to support a good overall health. Oats are an especially good addition to the diet because they have high amounts of vitamin E. Vitamin E has been linked to improving the body’s immune responses as well as helping fight harmful bacteria, which plays an essential role in keeping the skin healthy.
2. Vegetables
Although vegetables are part of any healthy diet, there are certain ones that are excellent to add to a vitiligo diet. Spinach is a great option as it contains many nutrients that can promote skin regeneration and repair the body’s damaged blood vessels. Garlic is also a great choice because it is not only a natural antibiotic, but it also has several different nutrients which work together to help keep our cells health. Cabbage is another great addition to a vitiligo diet because it contains multiple nutrients and other substances that help our body break down any harmful chemicals. In addition to vegetables, certain fruits such as tomatoes and blueberries also have healing properties making them a great addition to a vitiligo diet.
3. Healthy Fats
Someone on a vitiligo diet should always do their best to include healthy fats. Olive oil is an excellent option as it is easy to add to your food. A wide range of nuts are also a great source of healthy fats in addition to protein, but someone on a vitiligo diet should avoid pistachios and cashews.
4. Natural Supplements
There are several natural supplements that have been linked to reducing the effects of vitiligo in terms of depigmentation. Gingko biloba is one example and experts usually recommend finding a standardized extract that comes in 40 milligram doses and taking this three times a day. Some studies have also shown that khellin, which is an extract from the fruit found on khella, a Mediterranean plant.

Including foods containing vitamin C in your diet may be good for vitiligo. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons are excellent sources of this vitamin, but other fruits high in vitamin C include kiwi, strawberries and cantaloupe. You can also get vitamin C from vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes and red and green peppers.

How to Treat Vitiligo in China

Q:I suffer from vitiligo and would like to know about any new treatments that are available.

The condition covers large areas of my body and affects my personal self-confidence.
I have heard about a new treatment that is supposed to have a 90 per cent success rate called natural co-enzyme tetrahydrobiopterin.
Please could you tell me more about this treatment.

A:

Vitiligo is said to affect one in 200 people. Skin cells produce a pigment called melanin. Vitiligo develops when skin cells die or are unable to hold melanin.
The skin is stripped of pigment, leaving blotchy marks that are especially noticeable on darker skin types. It is rare for the pigment to return.
The underlying cause is uncertain, but the cell malfunction could be hereditary in some patients, or possibly related to a faulty immune system.
Vitiligo can occur at any age, in either sex and on any part of the body. It is, however, more common in women than men. The most commonly affected areas are the hands, neck, back and wrist in that order.
Symptoms of vitiligo:
Vitiligo usually starts with a small white spot and later develops into patches. These patches are pale in the beginning but became darker as time passes due increase in loss of melanin. As the spots enlarge, they merge into one another and, in the course of time, form a broad patch. In some cases, most of the skin of the body can be covered with white patches.
The spread of Vitiligo is usually slow and progressive. The spots generally tend to grow symmetrically on both the sides of the body however in some cases, vitiligo spreads randomly all over the body.
Vitiligo can vary in size, shape, intensity of the loss of color and in the profile of their distribution. Some times Vitiligo becomes a chronic skin condition while in other cases it may even regress on its own.
How to treat Vitiligo
We have figured out through many years researches that Vitiligo has close relation with immune system, antibodies against melanin, predisposing factors, network activity of neuraminidase, genetic and other factors,so,we gotta figure out the trigger first, and then We use the latest development of Integrated Chinese and Western medicine with advanced large-scale medical equipment at the same time according to the trigger, this treatment is called SOD6+1. Clinical use effect is pretty obvious.
Early, first-line treatment options include the following:
Topical treatments - medicines applied to the skin, such as: corticosteroid creams, immunosuppressant creams, or topical drugs.
Phototherapy - a medical procedure in which your skin is carefully exposed to ultraviolet light.
Climatotherapy - a natural treatment, primarily relying on the Dead Sea mineral waters and sun exposure.
Second-line treatment options include the following:
Systemic treatments, as an injectable or oral drug.
Surgical therapies that transfer parts of normal skin to cover vitiligo areas.
Depigmentation, a permanent loss of the remaining color, as a last resort.
Some cover-up makeups can mask vitiligo. You may need to experiment with several brands of concealing cosmetics before finding the product that works best for you.

Vitiligo should be approached as a chronic disease - although it can not be cured at present, it can be managed successfully in many cases. Even if vitiligo is treated successfully, it may reoccur without warning at any time, and the definite causes or triggers are, as yet, not specifically known. Vitiligo patients will need a regular, life-long "maintenance" therapy that may include vitamins B6 or B12, Ginkgo biloba (see photo above) or other, typically prescribed by the dermatologist based on blood test results and regular check ups.

if you have any question about skin disease such as vitiligo ,psoriasis,Eczema and so on ,you can email us bjmeidi@hotmail.com

Who gets and causes of vitiligo

Who gets and causes
Millions of people worldwide have vitiligo. Nearly half get it before they reach 21 years of age. Most will have vitiligo for the rest of their lives. It is very rare for vitiligo to disappear.
Vitiligo occurs about equally in people of all skin colors and races. About half the people who get vitiligo are male and half are female.
The risk of getting vitiligo increases if a person has:
A close blood relative who has vitiligo.
An autoimmune disease, especially Hashimoto’s disease (a thyroid disease) or alopecia areata (causes hair loss).
What causes vitiligo?
Vitiligo develops when cells called melanocytes (meh-lan-o-sites) die. These cells give our skin and hair color.
Scientists do not completely understand why these cells die. One type of vitiligo, non-segmental vitiligo, may be an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease develops when the body mistakes a part of itself as foreign. If the body mistakes these cells as foreigners, it will attack and kill these cells.

Studies suggest that the other type of vitiligo, segmental vitiligo, has a different cause. This type seems to develop when something in the body’s nervous system goes awry.
you can like
 what are symptoms of vitiligo 
how to treat vitiligo with chinese medicine

Symptoms of Vitiligo with itchy

Vitiligo is a condition that causes those white patches of skin. These patches can have a severe impact on your quality of life. Knowing how to deal with the symptoms is vital.
It can be tough on one’s self esteem, and most patients find it hard to come to grips with the symptoms of Vitiligo.
Very few people are aware that Vitiligo is a auto-immune disease, and by boosting your immune system you can greatly reduce your symptoms. For more information on how you can do this, read: 3 Changes to your diet that will help cure your Vitiligo.
The symptoms of Vitiligo
The symptom that Vitiligo is most well-known for, is those white patches of skin. These patches suffer from depigmentation, which occurs when your skin cells do not produce enough melanin. There are ways that you can boost your melanin production.
A few things you can do to increase the rate at which your skin produces melanin:
adapt your diet
exercise more
reduce your stress
follow a detox plan
All of the above suggestions will ensure that your body is much closer to its natural state of balance. Medical conditions like Vitiligo commonly occur when your body is out of balance, and this can be the result of a number of causes.
This depigmentation will most frequently appear on your hands, face, neck, legs and shoulders. It is often incorrectly attributed to a fungus or skin infection during early doctor’s consultations.
The first symptom you are likely to notice

Most sufferers of Vitiligo first suffer from itching. This itching is commonly mistaken as a reaction to a new shampoo, or soap, or an allergy reaction. The itching subsides in most cases, and is shortly followed by the white blotches of skin.

Symptoms of Vitiligo

Vitiligo manifests as acquired white or hypopigmented macules or patches. The lesions are usually well demarcated, and they are round, oval, or linear in shape. The borders may be convex. Lesions enlarge centrifugally over time at an unpredictable rate. Lesions range from millimeters to centimeters in size. Initial lesions occur most frequently on the hands, forearms, feet, and face, favoring a perioral and periocular distribution.

Vitiligo lesions may be localized or generalized, with the latter being more common than the former. Localized vitiligo is restricted to one general area with a segmental or quasidermatomal distribution. Generalized vitiligo implies more than one general area of involvement. In this situation, the macules are usually found on both sides of the trunk, either symmetrically or asymmetrically arrayed.
The most common sites of vitiligo involvement are the face, neck, and scalp see different vitiligo pictures. Many of the most common sites of occurrence are areas subjected to repeated trauma, including the following:
-- Bony prominences
-- Extensor forearm
-- Ventral wrists
-- Dorsal hands
-- Digital phalanges
Involvement of the mucous membranes is frequently observed in the setting of generalized vitiligo. Vitiligo often occurs around body orifices such as the lips, genitals, gingiva, areolas, and nipples.
Body hair (leukotrichia) in vitiliginous macules may be depigmented. Vitiligo of the scalp usually appears as a localized patch of white or gray hair, but total depigmentation of all scalp hair may occur. Scalp involvement is the most frequent, followed by involvement of the eyebrows, pubic hair, and axillary hair, respectively. Leukotrichia may indicate a poor prognosis in regard to repigmentation. Spontaneous repigmentation of depigmented hair in vitiligo does not occur.
Some other less common signs of vitiligo may include:
-- Premature whitening (leukotrichia) or graying of the hair on scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard. Vitiligo of the
scal pusually appears as a localized patch of white or gray hair, but total depigmentation of all scalp hair may
occur. Scalp involvement is the most frequent, followed by involvement of the eyebrows, pubic hair, and axillary
hair, respectively.
-- Loss of pigment of the mucous membranes
-- Loss or change in color of the retina (the inner most layer of eye)

What are Causes of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a long-term condition that causes pale, white patches to develop on the skin - in severe cases these cover the whole body. Vitiligo affects one in every hundred people and can strike anyone at any time, often leading to depression and isolation - especially amongst children. We need your help in finding a cure for this debilitating and distressing disease and to support the millions of vitiligo sufferers across the globe.

Although multiple hypotheses have been suggested as potential triggers that cause vitiligo, studies strongly imply that changes in the immune system are responsible for the condition. Vitiligo has been proposed to be a multifactorial disease with genetic susceptibility and environmental factors both thought to play a role. The TYR gene encodes the protein tyrosinase, which is not a component of the immune system, but is an enzyme of the melanocyte that catalyzes melanin biosynthesis, and a major autoantigen in generalized vitiligo.

Causes of Vitiligo 

Immune
Variations in genes that are part of the immune system or part of melanocytes have both been associated with vitiligo. It is also thought to be caused by the immune system attacking and destroying the melanocytes of the skin. A genomewide association study found approximately 36 independent susceptibility loci for generalized vitiligo.
Autoimmune associations
Vitiligo is sometimes associated with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis,rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, alopecia areata, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Among the inflammatory products of NALP1 are caspase 1 and caspase 7, which activate the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β. Interleukin-1β is expressed at high levels in patients with vitiligo.In one of the mutations, the amino acid leucine in the NALP1 protein was replaced by histidine (Leu155->His). The original protein and sequence is highly conserved in evolution, and is found in humans,chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, and the bush baby. Addison's disease (typically an autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands) may also be seen in individuals with vitiligo.

Family history (heredity)

What Is Vitiligo

Vitiligo is based on the limitations of white skin patches, and then gradually expand the spread of major clinical manifestations of the main symptoms of skin disease. Vitiligo hurt does not itch, but eroding the health of skin and heart patients, severe damage to the person's appearance, and dampen the human spirit, affecting their normal life, marriage, work and social, is one of the world difficult to treat.

Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized by portions of the skin losing their pigment. It occurs when skin pigment cells die or are unable to function. Aside from cases of contact with certain chemicals, the cause of vitiligo is unknown. Research suggests vitiligo may arise from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress, neural, or viral causes. Vitiligo is typically classified into two main categories: segmental and non-segmental vitiligo.

Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches. The extent and rate of color loss from vitiligo is unpredictable. It can affect the skin on any part of your body. It may also affect hair, the inside of the mouth and even the eyes.

Normally, the color of hair, skin and eyes is determined by melanin. Vitiligo occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning.


Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself. Treatment for vitiligo may improve the appearance of the affected skin but does not cure the disease.