Vitiligo
Vitiligo
Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Melanin also helps to protect your skin from the sun. It is made by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Harm to the cells can cause light patches to appear on the skin. They can be white, light brown, or normal color of skin. The patches feel like normal skin. You may have just a few light spots in a small area. Your light spots may stay the same or they may grow and cover a larger part of your body. The patches affect skin that is often in the sun, like the face and arms. You may have light patches where you have had an injury, like a scrape or burn. Other skin around the eyes, mouth, armpits and other body openings might have loss of skin color. The patches show up more on people who have darker skin.
Name
Vitiligo Discharge Instructions
About this topic
Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Melanin also helps to protect your skin from the sun. It is made by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Harm to the cells can cause light patches to appear on the skin. They can be white, light brown, or normal color of skin. The patches feel like normal skin. You may have just a few light spots in a small area. Your light spots may stay the same or they may grow and cover a larger part of your body. The patches affect skin that is often in the sun, like the face and arms. You may have light patches where you have had an injury, like a scrape or burn. Other skin around the eyes, mouth, armpits and other body openings might have loss of skin color. The patches show up more on people who have darker skin.
What drugs may be needed?
Slow the loss of color,Add color to the light patches
What problems could happen?
Skin that is depigmented may be more likely to get skin cancer.,Color loss appears in new areas.,Repigmented skin may be lighter or darker than the skin near it.,You may continue to have more color loss.
When do I need to call the doctor?
Skin, hair, or parts of the eyes have color loss for no reason
Body systems
Dermatologic
What are other common names?
Depigmentation,Focal Vitiligo,Generalized Nonsegmental Vitiligo,Generalized Vitiligo,Leukoderma,Localized Vitiligo,Loss of Skin Color,Segmental Vitiligo,Universal Vitiligo
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider’s advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you.
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved.
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