Vitiligo Symptoms / Sypmtoms of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a commonly acquired skin condition and there is no significant difference in its incidence as regards to gender, race or age of the individual. Approximately 1 out of every 100 people suffers from this disorder.

The hypo pigmentation of skin (white patches on the skin) is the most common symptoms of Vitiligo, the white spot primarily occur on face, arms, lips, hands and feet almost all of the cases, which may grow larger gradually and turn into white patches of de-pigmentation of skin. The white patches may also appear on the armpits and groin and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals with the passage of time. The sun exposed area, body openings and body folds are the most common sites, for Vitiligo white patches to appear. For some people this can happen quickly, while for others the patches may stay the same for months or even years.

Along with the lesion of Vitiligo that appears on the skin, people with Vitiligo may have early graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouth; this is because the skin pigmentation cell (melanocytes) does not produce enough melanin.

The severity and course of white patches of Vitiligo skin condition varies from person to person; Usually Vitiligo starts with a small area of hypo-pigmentation and grows larger with the passage of time, while other white patches of Vitiligo may appear on other parts of body. But this is not the case for every person. For some people Vitiligo may stay same for years or even decades without any progression, and then suddenly new areas of de-pigmentation may occur. This is due to the difference in blood type and hormones, also genes play a vital role as for the severity and onset of Vitiligo. Also Vitiligo sufferers have noticed patches of Vitiligo in different patterns, some Vitiligo patients notice hypo-pigmentation only in one or a few limited areas of their body. Where as, most Vitiligo sufferers find that their skin is de-pigmented with bilateral characteristics, meaning that if a Vitiligo patch appears on one elbow, it often appears on the other elbow about the same time. Upon this observation the researchers have classified patterns of Vitiligo white patches in different types.

As such patients of Vitiligo do not have any problems of skin; most people with Vitiligo have healthy normal skin texture and sensation. But a very few cases with Vitiligo have complained itching before the white spot or the white patch appeared on that area.

Though Vitiligo disease has affected people without any distinction, however, the condition may be more common in people with certain auto-immune diseases or one with family history of Vitiligo. Since the hypo-pigmentation or de-pigmentation of skin are not the symptoms of Vitiligo only, many other diseases like Liver disorders, Worms, Taenia infection, Calcium deficiency Injury or burns spots and even Leprosy share the same symptoms of Vitiligo so it is recommended to get it diagnosed before any self assumptions or taking up a treatment.