Vitiligo

[jackolina]

Hello,
I've had vitiligo for the last 6 years now and it is slowly progressing to larger spots on my hands and other places of my boby.  Is there a treatment yet for Vitiligo?  Also can it be linked to thyroid disfunction?
Thanks, Cecile

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

It would be best to consult a skin specialist and decide about the plan of management in your case according to the sites of involvement and extent of involvement.

'The main goal of treating vitiligo is to improve appearance. Therapy for vitiligo takes a long time—it usually must be continued for 6 to 18 months.

Current treatment options for vitiligo include medical - topical steroid therapy , oral and topical psoralen photochemotherapy and depigmentation using hydroquinone; surgical-autologous skin grafts and micropigmentation, and adjunctive therapies- sunscreens and cosmetic products.'

You can get a thyroid function test done if you feel it is required in consultation with your doctor.

You could read more about this condition at the following links -

http://www.medicinenet.com/vitiligo/article.htm

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitiligo

Let us know if you need any further information.

Regards.

[muaaz]

It is best advice for you to consult  to a good  skin specialist.  Before visiting to the skin specialist, you should  review these things
Is any one in your  suffering from this skin condition.
At which age you observe first spot and on your body and how time it take to get current size.
In which season your spots grows more fast.
Are you suffering from other skin disorders.
Are you suffering from any auto-immune disease etc.

And some other thing about vitiligo like mentioned on http://www.antivitiligo.com/vitiligo/

[Aiene]

Hi, my vitiligo started showing up when I was around 6 (i am 24 now). I used Ultravate cream for years and it stopped spreading and improved visibly, but I stopped using the cream and it stopped improving yadda yadda. It's definitely treatable though.

I'm iGA deficient and have been told the two are related, actually my vitiligo greatly helped identify the iGA deficiency for the specialist I saw for chronic sinusitis (also another symptom).