Vitiligo can affect the skin on any part of the body, as well as the inside of the mouth. It can also affect the scalp and hair, causing a change of colour. The condition varies significantly from person to person – while some people may present with a few small patches; others might develop much bigger white patches that join up across large areas of their skin.

While vitiligo itself isn’t generally a serious health risk, the condition can mean that secondary issues require additional precautions – for example, vitiligo patches require additional protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Many patients find that vitiligo can be stressful or negatively impact their self-confidence – particularly as there has historically not been a lot of information widely available about the condition, and in some patients, it is more visibly evident than in others.

It may be reassuring to those who suffer from vitiligo to know that there are online support resources that may be helpful, like the Vitiligo Society and Changing Faces. Several celebrities – including internationally renowned model Winnie Harlow – have shared their own vitiligo stories to help destigmatise the condition.

Sometimes people with vitiligo might have already tried some over the counter products to help match the discoloured patches of skin but may find other treatments to be helpful. Usually, a GP would refer a patient with vitiligo to a dermatologist, who specialises in the treatment of skin disorders.

In some cases, treatment can restore colour to skin affected by vitiligo, but it usually cannot prevent its recurrence or the conditions development over time.

Often the patch is lightest in the centre, with paler skin around it, and if blood vessels are under the skin, the patch may be slightly pinkish.

In its initial stages, some signs of Vitiligo include;

• A patchy loss of colour in the skin, usually appearing first on the face, hands, wrists, groin or genitals;
• Premature whitening or greying of the hair, whether on the scalp, or in the eyelashes, eyebrows or beard area; and,
• Loss of colour in the mucous membranes inside the mouth and nose.

The condition varies significantly from person to person – some people only get a few small white patches, but others get bigger patches that join up across large areas of their skin. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how an individual’s skin will be affected by vitiligo, and the white patches are usually permanent.

Vitiligo can also develop in the skin of the scalp, or in other areas that produce hair. When this occurs, the lack of melanin in the skin can cause the hair in the affected area to become white or grey.

A vitiligo patch may have edges that are smooth or irregular, and they can sometimes be red and inflamed or be discoloured with a brownish colour – this is known as hyperpigmentation.

Although the condition does not typically cause pain, dryness or other discomfort, vitiligo patches can occasionally be itchy.
Segmental vitiligo usually affects people from an early age, and presents in one area and on one side of the body, for example, the side of the mouth. Typically, segmental vitiligo will spread quite quickly from the onset but slow down around a year after it first appears. Segmental vitiligo is not usually associated with autoimmune issues.

The second type is non-segmental vitiligo, which is autoimmune. Typically, non-segmental vitiligo will appear on the hands or wrists; around the eyes or mouth; or on the feet, before later spreading to other areas, such as the neck, chest, knees and legs. Non-segmental vitiligo does progress, but each individual presents with different cycles and rates of spreading and of stability.

The types of non-segmental vitiligo are;