Leucoderma (White Spot Disease)

 

Medical name: Vitiligo

 

 

Vitiligo is a skin disorder characterized by total loss of skin color in affected patches

 

Quick facts

 

• Vitiligo is a common disorder of skin affecting all races with nearly equal distribution
• Skin lesions are porcelain or marble white
• There is a tendency for new lesions to appear on the sites of trauma/ friction
• There is increased risk of Vitiligo in the offspring born to patients of Vitiligo

 

Risk Factors

 

You should be more careful if you have one or more of the following

 

• Family history
• Auto-immune diseases like hyperthyroidism and some other hormonal disorders like Diabetes, Pernicious anemia, Addison’s disease
• Black moles surrounded by a rim of marble white colored skin
• Graying of hairs with an early onset

 

Doubtful/ fresh lesions can be confirmed using special light (UV Light or Woods’ lamp). The Leucoderma patches get accentuated under such lighting

 

Situations that respond less to Treatment

 

• Onset in young age
• Lesions on the lips and tips of fingers and toes
• Past treatment failures

 

Please Remember that

• The course of Leucoderma is punctuated with remissions and relapses
• The presently available treatment modalities are not definitive
• It helps to be concerned about the disease and follow recommendations of your physician but any anxiety on this account should preferably be avoided by participating in the community just like another productive individual
• As far as possible, stay away from the sunlight or use sunscreen in the recommended manner.
• Join or start a support group to share and discuss Leucoderma related concerns and to exchange emotional support.
• Consider using concealers or tattooing to mask the white patches
• Narrow Band Ultraviolet light NBUVB is one of the safest and effective treatments that can be done at home or at a treatment centre.
• A thorough checkup of eyes is a must for every patient of Leucoderma because as a Leucoderma patient, the probability of having certain eye disorders is greater

 

 

Note:

 

You are permitted to share, distribute, print, or reproduce this article for private use with proper citation of the source. The article is a part of our service to fellow human beings as a means of health education and awareness enhancement to minimize dependence on healthcare

 

Dr Vinay Kumar

Senior Consultant Dermatologist

vnykmrrr123@gmail.com

www.yourskinmyconcern.com

+91-93 199 299 00