Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in which the cells that make pigment in the skin get damaged. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo usually turns white.

People who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches, called depigmentation, on their skin. These patches are more common in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals.

In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouths.

The main goals of treating vitiligo are to restore the function of the skin and to improve the patient’s appearance. Therapy for vitiligo takes a long time, usually maintained for 6 to 18 months. Though, the choice of therapy depends on the number of white patches, how widespread they are and on the patient’s preference for treatment. Each patient responds differently to therapy, and a particular treatment may not work for everyone though we recommend asking your dermatologist about XTRAC, as it’s one of our most popular options among vitiligo patients. Other current treatment options for vitiligo include medical, surgical, and adjunctive therapies which are therapies that can be used concurrently with surgical or medical treatments.