White skin blotches

[dbla214]

I have a five year old son that seems to have several penny size white areas on his cheeks. There is no scabbing or redness the skin color has just lightened up in those areas. He doesn't have any other symptoms. Any ideas what is happening?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

There could be several causes of these white spots. It would be best to consult your doctor to find out the cause in your case and plan the further management accordingly.

Fungal infections are very common, and are often quite bothersome. One such example is a condition known as tinea versicolor, a superficial yeast infection that produces white spots on the skin that are difficult to remove. Vitiligo could be an option and only a clinical examination would help in ruling out the possible causes.

Some of the perceived causes are emotional stress, hereditary factors, worms, sunburns and physical illness. This skin condition can be aggravated due to diseases like hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, pernicious anemia and Addison's disease.

You should talk to your doctor and rule out the above causes.

Let us know if you need any other information.

Regards.