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Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder causing patches of skin to lose their pigment.
What is it?
Vitiligo is a chronic disorder that results in areas of the skin becoming a lighter shade due to a lack of melanin – the skin's pigment. Inflammation from your immune system attacking healthy cells causes your skin to loses its natural hue, forming white sections known as macules or patches. Macules are smaller than five millimeters in size, while patches are five millimeters or larger. In some instances, individuals with vitiligo notice their hair whitening in the affected regions.
The condition typically onsets in people in their 20s, initially presenting on the face, arms, hands or feet. As time passes, the disorder tends to advance, leading to additional areas of skin losing pigment. Vitiligo can affect people of all skin tones. However, lighter patches of skin are often more noticeable on those with darker or tanned skin.
At Mountain State Dermatology, we are experienced in disgnosing and treating localized vitiligo as well as vitilio covering larger areas of the body. With the right treatment option, many of our vitiligo patients are successful reestablishing skin color. We are available to treat your vitiligo in Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Elkins, Hurricane, Morgantown, Parkersburg, South Charleston and Wheeling, West Virginia; in Waynesburg and Uniontown, Pennsylvania and in Marietta, Ohio.
How is it treated?
To help you achieve your objectives, your Mountain State Dermatology provider will devise a strategy tailored to your age, overall wellness, type of vitiligo, body location and the progression of your condition.
Our approach can include medications, medicated skincare products (like corticosteroids), light therapy, pigmentation therapy, laser therapy, skin graft surgery, cell transplantation surgery, and camouflage therapy. Newer therapies, like JAK inhibitors, can help reduce the inflammation that causes your skin to lose its melanin. For patients who have not seen results in the past, these recently approved treatments can bring long-awaited improvement.
Vitiligo treatments work gradually as your skin slowly restores its pigment. Your provider will work closely with you to monitor progress and ensure the treatment is working.