Procedures
Vitiligo can be an emotionally devastating condition as it can drastically
alter your appearance. In this condition, patches of skin lose melanin, the
pigment that controls the color of the skin, hair and eyes.
Recent awareness of the condition was spurred by the late pop singer
Michael Jackson, who blamed vitiligo for his lightened skin. Many doubt
that he actually had this condition, but rather he was whitening his skin
all along.
As the melanin disappears, the affected area of skin turns white. In
individuals with dark skin, this can be particularly troubling, especially if it
occurs in areas that are highly visible, like the face, neck, arms and
hands.
The condition can occur in people of any race or skin type and at any age,
though it most often initially presents between the ages of 10 and 30.
Pigment loss is the primary symptom, though in some cases it may also
be accompanied by premature graying of the hair, loss of color in the
tissues lining the mouth or loss of color in the retina, or inner layer of the
eye.
The spread of the condition can follow one of three patterns: Generalized,
where loss of pigment covers a wide area of the skin, usually
symmetrically on both sides of the body; Segmental, where loss of color
happens only on one side of the body; and Focal, where loss of pigment
is focused on particular areas of the body.
Narrowband UVB is safer than PUVA and works just as well for the treatment of vitiligo.
Severe case of vitiligo that do not respond to treatment can be treated with Benoquin by
prescription. This medication causes permanent whitening of the dark areas of the skin and
should only be used as a last resort.