What gets mistaken for vitiligo?

Thermal burns, inflammatory skin disorders like psoriasis, or bacterial infections like leprosy may cause a reversible loss of skin color. Genetically determined diseases like piebaldism can also create distinctive patterns of milky white skin and hair, which can be mistaken for vitiligo.

What can be confused with vitiligo?

Sometimes, vitiligo is mistaken for albinism, a group of inherited skin disorders that result in little or no pigment in a person's skin, eyes, and hair.

How do I know if I have vitiligo or something else?

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.

How do you rule out vitiligo?

A skin biopsy involves removing a small portion of the affected skin tissue to check whether there are pigment cells (melanocytes) in the skin. The skin sample will be evaluated under a microscope in the lab. If it shows that there are no pigment cells present, a diagnosis of vitiligo will likely be confirmed.

Is there an opposite version of vitiligo?

The opposite of Vitiligo, Melasma is a hyperpigmentary disease. It is a little more common, especially in the United States and Mexico.

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

Does vitiligo start as small dots?

Vitiligo usually begins with a few small white patches that may gradually spread over the body over the course of several months.

How can you tell the difference between pityriasis alba and vitiligo?

Pityriasis alba can be distinguished from vitiligo by studying the nature of the border of the rashes. In vitiligo, the rash has a very distinct border that sharply demarcates the affected and unaffected skin areas.

Is every white patch is vitiligo?

Hypopigmented spots that are NOT vitiligo. If the spots are not truly white, but hypopigmented and not depigmented (they don't enhance by Wood's lamp), then they are NOT vitiligo and could be any number of different diseases and conditions. I'll list a few of the most common ones here.

How does a doctor check for vitiligo?

The doctor may take a small sample (biopsy) of the affected skin. He or she may also take a blood sample to check the blood-cell count and thyroid function. Most certainly, the doctor will examine the skin with a special black light called a Woods Light, which illuminates areas of vitiligo.

Which blood test is done for vitiligo?

Appropriate tests should be performed only in the presence of signs or symptoms of associated disease. Laboratory work for vitiligo may include the following: Thyroid panel consisting of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (T3), and free thyroxine (T4) levels. Antinuclear antibody.

How does vitiligo look initially?

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.

Can you have mild vitiligo?

In cases of mild vitiligo, the patient can camouflage some of the white patches with colored, cosmetic creams and makeup. They should select tones that best match their skin features. If creams and makeup are correctly applied, they can last 12 to 18 hours on the face and up to 96 hours for the rest of the body.

Can Covid cause vitiligo?

Background. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease and vaccines have been associated to various skin reactions, which are mostly similar amongst them. New onset of vitiligo and hypopigmentations have been described following COVID-19 vaccination, but never after COVID-19 infection.

What is difference between vitiligo and leucoderma?

Vitiligo also called as 'leucoderma' is an autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system of the body attacks the healthy cells and in turn starts affecting the body. The condition is characterized by white patches on the skin that develops as a result of melanocytes within the skin.

What deficiency causes white spots on skin?

Deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D and vitamin E can cause white patches on the skin. While harmless, these white spots indicate that you need to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

What are these white spots on my skin?

White spots on the skin often occur when skin proteins or dead cells become trapped under the skin's surface. They may also occur as a result of depigmentation, or color loss. White skin spots are not usually a reason for concern and do not cause major symptoms.

Can a blood test show vitiligo?

Diagnostic Tools

Our dermatologists often diagnose vitiligo based solely on a physical examination. If doctors need more information about how the condition affects your skin cells, they may suggest a skin biopsy or blood test.

How did vitiligo start?

Doctors don't know what causes vitiligo, but it has been suggested that it is rooted in an autoimmune issue. If you have vitiligo, melanin-producing cells called melanocytes start to malfunction, causing depigmentation of your skin. Anyone can get vitiligo, but it is more commonly seen in people with darker skin tones.

How fast does vitiligo spread?

It spreads very quickly, faster than the other forms, but only for about 6 months (sometimes up to a year). It's such a rapid pace that patients assume it will soon cover their entire body, but it stops abruptly and usually remains stable, without changing, forever after that.

Can vitiligo disappear by itself?

In 1 out of every 5 to 10 people, some or all of the pigment eventually returns on its own and the white patches disappear. For most people, however, the whitened skin patches last and grow larger if vitiligo is not treated. Vitiligo is a lifelong condition.

Which food causes vitiligo?

It is a visible result of epidermal melanin (skin pigment) loss. Myth 2: Consumption of certain foods causes vitiligo. Fact: No. Over many years, a lot of people have believed that eating white coloured food items or sour foods like citrus; or drinking milk shortly after eating fish causes vitiligo.

Does vitiligo always progress?

But often the white patches will spread to other areas of the body. For some people, vitiligo spreads slowly, over many years. For other people, spreading occurs quickly. Some people have reported more white patches after physical or emotional stress.

What does pityriasis alba look like?

Pityriasis alba appears as several (2–20) light-colored (hypopigmented) patches ranging in size from 1–4 cm. The patches may have slight and subtle surface patches (scale). Occasionally, the condition begins as mildly itchy, pink patches that develop into lightened patches of skin.

Does pityriasis alba turn into vitiligo?

In vitiligo, there is complete loss of the pigment in the skin but no other skin changes. Clues that pityriasis alba is the correct diagnosis are an incomplete loss of pigment, commonly associated with subtle skin changes of erythema and scaling within the hypopigmented patches, as seen in this patient.

How does pityriasis alba start?

The exact cause of pityriasis alba isn't known. However, it's commonly considered a mild form of atopic dermatitis, a type of eczema. Eczema may be caused by an overactive immune system that responds to irritants aggressively. The skin's ability to act as a barrier is reduced in people with eczema.