Vitiligo is a skin condition that is surprisingly common. It shows up as areas of skin that lose their color and appear white. There are some very commonly affected area such as the fingertips, face, chest, and sometimes even the groin areas.
Although the exact cause of Vitiligo remains unknown, it appears that the body’s own immune system attacks the brown parts of the skin layers causing localized depigmentation. Vitiligo cannot be transmitted to other people and does not appear to be related to any lifestyle factors. Although there is no harm in Vitiligo and people will live just as long with it or without it, many patients prefer to have treatment in order to improve the appearance.
There are variety of treatment options available including:
- Prescription topical medications
- Phototherapy
Nevertheless, even though there are range of treatments available for vitiligo, treating it can be quite frustrating as improvement is often quite slow.
