Question

I have had white spots on my skin since I was very young. They are getting much worse as I get older.

Answer

What you describe is probably vitiligo. Vitiligo is a common skin disorder in which white spots appear on the skin, usually occurring on both sides of the body in the same location. The disease has been around for thousands of years. Vitiligo occurs in 1-2% of the population. It affects both sexes, all races and all ages.

The skin is made up of two main types of cells or building blocks: keratinocytes and melanocytes. The keratinocytes make up the bulk of the skin. The melanocytes are the cells that make the skin color. In people with vitiligo, the immune cells (cells which fight infection) attack the melanocytes and kill them. When the melanocytes in a certain area die the skin turns white. No one knows why the immune cells attack the melanocytes in people with vitiligo.

Vitiligo sometimes runs in families, meaning that a genetic factor may be involved. Vitiligo sometimes occurs at the site of an old injury.

Vitiligo is very difficult to treat. Treatment often depends on the severity of the condition and the patient's feelings of disfigurement. Cover-up cosmetics work well for some people.

Although there is very little that can be done to prevent the loss of skin color, patients with vitiligo should use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher on the white patchy areas to prevent sunburn and skin cancer. The melanocytes, which are missing in these white patchy areas, are the skin's natural protection against sun damage.

Links

• National Vitiligo Foundation