I Have Vitiligo

You are more than the eye can see

Getting rid of vitiligo

by

When you realize you have vitiligo you start looking for a solution, you start thinking about how you can get rid of vitiligo. After your initial research online you learn a couple of things: first, medical doctors don’t know much about the underlying causes of the vitiligo and autoimmunity, in general, and second, there are no cures for vitiligo. 

What can be done for your vitiligo? What can you do to get rid of it? There is a range of medical treatments for vitiligo, but none that deal with the underlying causes, only surface treatments that manage symptoms. Lasers, phototherapy, corticosteroids, topical creams and more.

All medical treatments have these core troublesome issues:

  • Medical treatments for vitiligo don’t deal with the underlying causes of the disease which leaves you more susceptible to developing additional autoimmune symptoms which can be far more serious
  • Medical treatments for vitiligo have side-effects, especially with long-term use
  • No medical treatment is designed for long-term use to manage vitiligo which is a chronic condition

For myself, I needed to find another way. I tried the medical treatments and while there was repigmentation, the time it took for the treatments, the out of pocket cost, potential side-effects of Elidel and phototherapy and the need for a long term solution to getting rid of vitiligo required that I look outside mainstream medicine. Dermatologists don’t have a long term solution and insurance didn’t cover all my costs. After 9 months of standard medical treatment for vitiligo, which for me meant UVB Phototherapy and Elidel, and after consulting with a second dermatologist, I left the doctors office behind for dealing with vitiligo.

So what did I do instead to get rid of vitiligo?

Perhaps you start thinking, as I did, that maybe, just maybe there is a way to manage my disease on my own terms. Maybe I can change my diet, or exercise more or take some herbs or something.

It is overwhelming at first but it’s an exciting idea. Maybe my own choices can influence my chronic disease.

For some time I did nothing because of the overwhelm. I just put it out of my mind and decided that it was not worth thinking about. While this was not the best attitude to take, I think it has merit and useful for a time. Then I realized I couldn’t put aside my own feelings anymore. I needed to deal with my insecurities and fears.

The problem with vitiligo is that it is hard on your mental and emotional well being. It breeds narcissism. It breeds co-dependency.

You can’t stop thinking about what other people think about you. You wonder if someone will notice. You think that you are marred, and ugly. It’s destructive if you allow yourself to obsess about your disease. You can begin to define yourself by your fears and concerns. So when you decide to not worry about how you are going to get rid of your vitiligo, when you don’t allow yourself to be consumed with the pursuit of a cure for vitiligo, you are doing yourself a favor. You are not allowing for that narcissism to take hold. You stop yourself from defining yourself by your disease.

But there is more to be done. There is life to be lived. Vitiligo stops us from doing nothing unless we create an excuse to hide from life, to hide from our dreams. Vitiligo can be an excuse to avoid the unknowns that life will present us with. Vitiligo can be a reason to hide ourselves. Vitiligo can be a reason to not reach four our best and richest dreams.

So how do we care for ourselves and our immune systems in a way that pushes towards our best life? How can we address our bodily frustrations with vitiligo and the internal emotional struggle? These are the questions that drove me.

Being aware of the latest developments in skin research and pursuing the ways that you can be healthier and perhaps even actively treating vitiligo is valuable. I didn’t want to just let a disease like vitiligo take over without a challenge. Vitiligo is a sign of a more serious problem in your body that will likely manifest itself in a different and more frustrating way at a later date. I didn’t want a more serious second autoimmune disease like ulcerative colitis or arthritis.

Getting rid of vitiligo holistically isn’t so much about skin pigment. It’s about healing the body, strengthening the mind and encouraging a natural and sustainable way of managing stress and disease. As it turns out, there are far too many approaches to dealing with chronic disease. Fad diets, supplements, phototherapy, all that can be managed by an individual without expensive doctors and expensive treatments.

Getting Help With Vitiligo

I needed help. Thankfully, as I was ready, the teachers became clear. I tried the supplements and diet approach. That approach almost worked too. 

Here’s how it went:

  • I tried a vegan diet
  • I took some supplements recommended to me
  • I stopped drinking
  • I got sunlight on some vitiligo spots, though not all of them several times a week 

And what happened? I repigmented. It took a month or so. Then I went through a very stressful time of my life. My family changed dramatically in one day. I was now dealing with a crisis that had nothing to do with vitiligo, and my diet program stopped working. I lost weight and I lost that weight fast. I lost energy and my skin was not repigmenting. 

I couldn’t do the vegan diet anymore. I kept up the supplements for vitiligo but they didn’t work on their own. I also put aside dealing with vitiligo because of the trauma within my family for a good couple of years. I ate in a more or less healthy fashion, but dealing with vitiligo was not the issue. 

It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I decided to be the healthiest version of myself. I wanted a complete program to manage myself and my body so that I could pursue my dreams in the best way possible. 

That’s when I found mentors to guide me through the process of learning what I needed, what my body needed. 

A holistic approach to my life and health is a foundation that I can firmly stand on, deal with the stress of life, deal with my bodies needs and live life fully. 

Together with my friend Ryan, I put together an online workshop on vitiligo that outlines my approach to vitiligo, to health and to life. It’s just under an hour. 

I don’t know if myself and Ryan can help you with your specific goals with vitiligo. We may or may not be the right guides for you. But I’d encourage you to watch the workshop if you are curious.

Here are some of the things we talk about:

  • Wanting to get rid of vitiligo isn’t a goal that’s big enough to produce long term change for long term results
  • Each person is different, there is no one size fits all program
  • Getting rid of inflammation is more important than getting rid of vitiligo

You can find it here:

“THE 5 STEPS TO STOP HIDING AND START HEALING VITILIGO!” 

Comments

  1. that is so true, i am 15 and i have it all over my hands and my knees and my ankles and my eye lids and its starting to come right by my lip.. but thats all i think about is if people are going to know…. or see.. and it scares me alot about what im going too look like when im older.. its already bad enough.. thank you sooooo much!

    • Hey Dusty!

      Thanks for coming to my website and talking, sharing your thoughts here. I totally understand where you are coming from. It is difficult to walk around with a disease that is visible. I wonder what people think too. This disease is part of my life now for 10 years now and I accept it as part of what I am. I try not to worry about other people. In my experience other people really don’t care all that much.

      Take care Dusty and stop by anytime!
      Keith

    • Hey guys I have had vitiligo since I was young and it’s only on my face. I use a cover cream from Macy’s called “Dermablend” and I’m goin to try some natural remember to get my skin color back because you do become less confident.

    • Hey I have it on my genital and me and my girlfriend are getting serious and I am afraid that she will leave me because of this I know everyone says that that means she’s not the right one but I do love her and im going to be heartbroken if She sees it on my penis I don’t know what to do I am trying to find a cure but it’s impossible

  2. I wish I had your optimism, I’ve been having vitiligo since elementary school. At first it didn’t bother me because I didn’t know what it was nor was I interested, but as time went by it kept spreading all over and kids kept asking me what happened to my skin. That was when I was a real outgoing person, now I just isolate myself from people I don’t know and always wear long sleeves to cover the marks on my arms, but I can’t hide the ones on my face. I lost my confidence and motivation to do anything. It’s even hard to go to church without little kids having to yell out “mommy look at his skin!!” It’s really dificult being in public and having this disease… :\

    • Hey Willis,

      I know what you are talking about. I have gone through the same kinds of situations. I will tell you this though: as an adult, dealing with adults it will get easier. People are understanding and accepting. Even though it is frustrating, I find it helpful to explain to people what the disease is, being as positive as possible.

      I want people to interact with me, rather than my disease. When people think about me, I dont want them to think about vitiligo, I want them to think about me and talk with me about life, not a disease. When you take the lead with a perspective on vitiligo, people will follow. You get to set the tone. The fact is, it will not go away soon, if ever. So the thing you can change is your perspective. You don’t need to be ashamed of vitiligo. People that make a big deal out of your vitiligo are not people you want to be friends with anyways. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true.

      Optimism is a choice you make. You are stronger than your disease. I also find that by talking about your vitiligo you take away its hold over you. I would love to hear from you and the other readers here do as well.

      Thanks so much for stopping by! You are not alone.
      Keith

    • I use care so much about my body my friends would always offer me weed and I would say no cause I wanted to live a long time but ever since I got vitiligo I don’t really care how long I live any more so now I turned to weed because it makes me feel a bit better about my self but not really

  3. Hi You sound like ,you have a goodoutlook on life !! My granddaughter has Vitiligo. So I’m upset for her.She is almost 10, & its full blown. From head to toe. Her Hair is turning Grey ?? WE can only pray for a CURE !! Staywell!!! Nancy Bulatow

    • Hey Nancy,

      Thanks for dropping by. I too hope there is a cure.

      Some of my hair on parts of my skin also have no pigment. Part of my beard, if I let it grow, is without pigment. I hope you will support your granddaughter and help her understand that beauty is not something that is dependent on skin color!

      Best,
      Keith

  4. This ugly disease started when I was 18 years old. One morning I woke up seeing a coin size white spot on the left thumb. My immediate reaction was, maybe it’s a bug bite so I let it go for a while. Then every morning tiny white spots began to appear on my fingers and this is when I became worried. I immediately began to see doctors and dermatologists. Solution? None. Since then I hate going to doctors no matter what. Sometimes it makes me angry that our government supports step cell, this cell, that cell, and unaware that other things–such as vitiligo–need attention and support. It isn’t very much different from any other disease other than the fact that “it isn’t life threatening,” or so says the doctors/dermatologist. Well, let me let you in on a secret. Vitiligo is indeed a life threatening disease. It takes a toll on people’s emotionally which lead them to suicidal thoughts. There are non-profit organizations who help vitiligo patients–that’s good. But we need more research to determine what causes this disease and find a cure for it. When I know what causes this disease, and more importantly, when we find a cure, I will be the happiest guy on earth, along with other patients of course.

    • Hey MJ,

      Thanks for writing in. I hear where you are coming from. I too prefer not to work with doctor’s. If I get the flu, I deal with it myself. It I get a cold I take care of it myself. If I am in a car accident I hope they take me to doctor’s though.

      I also hope that research will continue. The current research seems to be around treating the disease rather than curing the disease. Because vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, it is complicated. I think that lifestyle, diet and other factors are significant contributors to autoimmune diseases. I would encourage you look into your options when it comes to lifestyle and diet.

      Perhaps you have celiac’s disease too. Maybe your ph balance is off.

      When it comes to the emotional toll I too know what that is about on a personal level. It’s hard. Good friends and good family get me through life. They help me deal with vitiligo successfully.

      Hope to hear from you soon,
      Keith

  5. I’m 16 and my vitiligo started when I was about 12. One day I noticed that I had white spots on my fingers, so I went to my doctor who diagnosed me the disease. Since then, it spread on my knees, elbows, hands, and feet, and I have a little on my lip and on my neck(the one on my neck used to be huge, but fortunately went away). Anyway, thanks to all the prayers my family has been doing and the help of my dermatologist, my vitiligo has gotten better. I now have hardly any on my knees, and it’s better on my elbows. I’m making progress. What a person with vitiligo needs to understand is that it DOES get better, you just need A LOT of patience, because it is a really slow process. I won’t lie, it’s killer to your self esteem, but I have learned to accept myself with it. After all, it’s one of the many things that make me special and unique!

    • Hey Cami,

      I am so glad to hear that your vitiligo is getting better! That is fantastic. I too for a time was seeing a doctor and was seeing improvements. For a range of reasons I stopped going. For me, it like you said, I have learned to deal with the self-esteem and have become stronger because of this disease. It is actually a blessing in disguise.

      I hope you keep getting better and hope to hear from you from time to time here on the blog,

      Thanks,
      Keith

    • Hi

      My 4 years old son has a big white patch all arond his eyes and it just was visible few weeks back when summers came, all his skin got tanned except for the eyes part.

      You mentioned that it gets better but you need patience.

      May i know if there is any treatment you used for your situation.

      please help.

      I am really worried.

      Thanks,
      Shwet

  6. I am 14 and i have a spot of vitiligo and some patches on both my shoulders. it started just this summer, and i am a person that loves to be tan. i HATE it. if it spreads, i will be mortified. i already am! none of my friends have it and im like great, of course i spend my life at the beach in the summer, and i have it. there has to be a cure..

    • Rachel,

      How are you doing? Sorry to hear about the spot of vitiligo. It sucks for sure. I also love being in the sun. I love laying in the sun. That has changed. But life is not over, you are still beautiful; know that. There will be a cure sometime. And when there is I will get it for sure.

      Also, it’s never as bad as you think it is and you notice the spots long before your friends do. It’s never as bad as you think.

  7. Keith,

    Because im going in the sun soon how can i protect it from spreading?
    I feel like if i put sunblock on it so it wont burn how will it start to tan to get its pigmentation back?

    • Hey,

      When it comes to stopping the spread of vitiligo you must consult a dermatologist. There is no cure though. So I would recommend sunless tanning cream or spray. This was recommended to me by my dermatologist in fact. The spots of vitiligo will only burn in the sun, they will not repigment because of sun exposure. Also, your risk of skin cancer is increased with this disease. So be carefull, sun block and sunless tanning cream or spray.

      Let me know how it works.
      Keith

  8. Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Vitiligo by my primary doctor who referred me to a dermatologist who also confirmed it to be Vitiligo about 6 months ago. Initially I had 2 tiny white spots develop under both of my armpits(one spot on each) when I was 19. I am now about to turn 22. Since than one of the spots under my armpit has disappeared but a new spot on my right elbow began to develop and has continued to grow very slowly. It started out small now it is about the size of a quarter (but not perfectly round more oval-shaped)

    I came across your website tonight because I’ve been sitting doing research on this disease. I’ve been feeling pretty bummed out because I’ve noticed 2 tiny new spots developing on my left elbow and they seem to be growing.

    This disease has not bothered me too much up until this point, but I am only 21 almost 22 and these spots have developed pretty fast over the course of about 2/3 years and I’m just worried they will spread to other sections of my body. I am constantly checking myself out in the mirror to make sure I’m not missing any spots. I feel pretty self conscience about my spots because a lot of people ask me what they are.

    I really hope that some more research is done, and that we can find out the cause of this rare disease. I feel horrible when I read about the agony felt by people who have Vitiligo over greater areas of their body. I realize I only have it on my arms, but I am trying to remain strong just in case it continues to develop.

    I will continue to check out your site, best of luck in your journey =]

    • Hey Buddy,

      I hear you on the whole self-conscious thing. It is something that you learn to deal with though.

      As you say, you have to remain strong because chances are the vitiligo will spread.

      Thanks for stopping by,
      Keith

  9. Hi Keith,

    This is such a great website. I have vitiligo and I can really relate to the things you write here. Please keep on writing and post any kind of progress or lack there of. It just feels good to read about people understanding the feelings I’m feeling. 🙂

    I just recently found out about celiac disease and the connection it might has with vitiligo. I haven’t been tested, but I will. Soon. The white patches on my skin have been appearing more and more since I moved to the US. Now I think it probably has something to do with a change in my diet. Now I’m eating foods I don’t eat as much as when I was back home and I’m noticing the . Wonder if going on a gluten free diet will be the way for me.

    Again, thanks Keith. 🙂

  10. I started gettting Vitiligo when I was 40, working under great stress, eating to compensate for my stress. I actually watched my white spots appear on my hands and feet, then a spot on my forehead, and near my lip, then under my armpits, inner thighs, elbows, Knees. At first I freaked, and gradually accepted them as natural tatoos.

    If I ate a loaf of bread I could actually watch the spots appear. I decided to go on a gluten free diet, and no sugar. I began almost a vegetarian diet…I ate a lot of Spinach, tomatoes, avacado, I was taking seaweed supplements, and vitiamins. I quit my job, and walked 1 hour everyday, and relaxed. My spots went back to there normal skin color.

    After 3 years I returned to my normal bad eating habits, eating bread, chocolate (I am a chocolate addict) not taking my vitamins, stopped walking, my spots returned.

    I am now back on my healthy lifestyle, hoping they will heal themselves once again.

    Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Vitamins, Exercise, lots of water. Purify yourself. De-stress yourself.

    • This is so encouraging for me personally Cynthia. Thank you so much for writing in.

      I myself have been radically adjusting my diet. No gluten, no dairy, and far less meat. It’s not as hard as I imagined. The one thing that is wonderful is that I am far more thoughtful about my food choices. This is a major improvement. Are my natural tattoos going away? I don’t think so. At least not yet.

      When my vitiligo got significantly worse, I was also eating much worse, working much more and being stressed out much more. I am changing all these things. I am all the better for it and if my vitiligo goes away even a little bit that will be a plus!

      Best,
      Keith

    • Cynthia,

      My six year old daughter has been developing spots from Vitiligo on her knee, and ankle. The dermatologist is having her try a steroid cream for a couple months. About a month into it…not really any improvement. I had an uncle who was celiac…wondering if she could have a diet issue causing her vitiligo. Were you able to cure your vitiligo the second time around with changes in your diet and lifestyle? The dermatologist said their isn’t a cure.

      Best,
      Jeff

  11. hey i have vitiligo and im 14. Its only on my face and EVERYONE asks whats wrong with my face. the dermatologist gave me an ointment to out on my face and i have to stay out of the sun unless i have SPF 50 on me. would this be considered a cure??

    • hey, im also 14 and have vitiligo on my face as well. my dermatologist give me ointment and i applied it for 3 months now. my original skin color is coming back! but i also been taking another medicine. im not sure if the ointment or the medicine is working. but i also underneath my neck and i havent seen any progress there. oh i have vitiligo on my left side of my chin, my neck, and underneath my chin. everyone also has been asking what is it and i didnt want to explain it to them because i know they wudnt understand so i juss been saying its a sun burn. i wish tht you’ll get better and anyone else who has vitiligo as well.

  12. For the most part vitiligo research is updated on nvfi.org a site that does research & they are ” hot on the trail ” of blocking the autoimmunity that causes it.. I find this site extremely encouraging for people w| the disease . .

  13. For the most part vitiligo research is updated on nvfi.org a site that does research & they are ” hot on the trail ” of blocking the autoimmunity that causes it.. I find this site extremely encouraging for people w| the diseaseee

  14. I’m very self conscious about my skin…people always ask do I burn myself….I talk to my mom about it but she says your lucky your pale but I’m not and it shows and idk what to do :/ I wanna say something but I don’t know /: none of my friends have it or my fam members and nobody at my schools has it but me 🙁

  15. Wow…it’s amazing how some make it seem so easy to deal with. Yes, I know that it is t much that can be done…However, I struggle all day everyday! I first experienced my first spot 4 months after I had my second child at the age of 39. My body was extremely ill, and I could have died during pregnancy, during labor and delivery. It has been 5 years and my face has several nickel sized spots all over (about 1/4 of my face) This is very hard to deal with as i wasn’t affected until I was 39…. It has also been very tough on my children (especially my 25 yr old), my family and especially me! My heart goes out to anyone dealing with this life altering condition! I’m not married and can’t even imagine anyone wanting me now that I have these spots continuing to come all over my face.

    • Hi Shawn,

      Thanks for writing in and sharing where you are at. It can be hard.

      I understand exactly what you are feeling and thinking. I have been there. I don’t nkow what is worse: not knowing what people are thinking about my vitiligo or my imagination of what they are thinking.

      In the end my imagination of what people think and feel about my disease is a reflection of what I think and feel. My own insecurities are manifested in the my imagination.

      I haven’t met you and don’t know what you look like, and still I am sure of one thing: you are beautiful, you have been told you are beautiful before and you will be told again. You have been loved, you are being loved you will be loved.

      I struggle every day too! And the struggle is worth having. Don’t give in to the false idea that you are less than enough because of vitiligo. You are enough. You are enough. You are enough.

      Keep on living, smile more often and stay out of your head.

      Its a hard fight, its a good fight.

      Check in from time to time and let me know how its going.

      Keith

  16. Thanks so much Keith! I hear the words “you are beautiful” all the time… It brings me some comfort in knowing that it’s coming from someone experiencing & feeling what I deal with everyday. I used to refer to myself as “the bomb” (good looking back in the day), that has now ‘exploded’! Each time I step out of the house, I must use my cover up (derma blend)… I never had to wear make up, and have now become depended upon it. Nonetheless…I have children to live for, no matter how difficult it is for me to smile, to get out of bed, or even think positive about my future.

    Thanks again for such kind words and encouragement.

  17. Hi..I have recently been diagnosed with Vitiligo .The doctor has prescribed me oral mini pulse therapy..that is steroids in very very low diseases..it apparently prevents the spread of the disease and has no side effects.

    I have accepted that even if it spreads its okay. I have told all my close friends about it and honestly I dont think other people really care. A first look at you, they may think but then they immediately stop caring. Infact my closest childhood friend has vitiligo and I dont remember thinking any less of her because of that!

    Infact Vitiligo doesnt really look ugly……people are handicapped, they have worse diseases…if something as superficial as vitiligo can pull us down, I dont think it should matter. I am happy that this is a positive site. Most places there is too much negativity around vitiligo. honestly in todays society everyone is very aware and no one cares. Dont even let your life slow down for a second and you wont ever feel that you had vitiligo!

  18. This forum and site are very supportive. I initially had a spot on my right thumb 5 yrs ago and it has spread to about 8 percent of my body. I took Ginko Biloba (which ceases growth) three doses a day and went to a local tanning salon. Which was strange in itself because I am a 37 yr old black male. The treatments cleared up my face 95 percent but made the rest of my body start to lose pigment. Theres a product by SUN its a spray on tanning solution that works marvelous. Dermablend leaves me caked and itchy. I have had some success with over the counter medicines but they all seem to fade after a few hours. Try Ginko Biloba it works against the spreading. Now if only I can be disciplined and try again.

  19. Hi All,

    Don’t worry Vitiligo is curable only by Ayurveda.. even the Allopathy doctors in India prescribe ayurvedic tablets like Pigmento along with their medicines. There are yoga too to cure this disease.. only thing is you all need patience and confidence and get God’s blessing who ever you worship.. In Hinduism there are hymns to cure this disease.. that’s why i told we need confidence and patience. Check with Baba Ramdev’s yoga practice to cure this disease..

  20. Hey Keith, I recently noticed white spots (which now is a huge patch) across my upper abdomen. I haven’t gone to see a doctor or dermatologist. My mum who’s a nurse says that it’s most likely not vitiligo.. I don’t know what else it would be (I’ve read up a lot about it online), and is there a sign to know for sure it’s vitiligo?
    I know you aren’t a doctor but maybe getting an opinion from someone who has it may help.
    I’m heading for a vacation in the next month and I just don’t want to keep indoor tanning and it get worse! (I am also one who enjoys the sun, A LOT! haha)

    thanks in advance for sharing your info!
    Caitlin

  21. Hey. So, I’m Hispanic && LOVE to have a tan. But over the summer I was tanning
    A bit to much I guess && I started getting this on my arms. But it wasn’t too serious.
    But still noticeable && embarresing .. && a lot of people point it out at school. Im 12.
    && Spring is on its way. Back to short sleeve shirts. && I really don’t want to have this
    all over my arms. But I don’t have enough money for a treatment.

    • Hi Dhaval,
      can you please give the name of the doctor and the contact number so that anyone else can get medication from him

  22. Hi,

    I never worried about this thing until it hit me.
    It started on my forehead with 2 big white patches on each side, I went to Dr. in US and he prescribed me some cream and it didn’t help.

    It started growing in the back of my ears and small dots on my fingers, I am from India and I firmly believe in Homeopathy as I have seen wonders from homeopathy. I asked my parents to find out if there is a cure for Vitilito in Homeopathy, They consulted the Homeopathy Dr. we know in Ahmedabad, India, whom we knew because my mom was taking homeopathy Diabetes Medicines. Dr. said there is a cure and send me the medications in USA and have been taking for around 6-9 months, Big patches on my forehead are almost covered and hoping to get rid of it completely.

    I am not sure if I can be of any help to you guys since Homeopathy is not popular in USA, I am sure if you can find a Homeopathy Dr. here in USA, you can cure it and also there is no side effect to Homeopathy Medicines.

    Hope this helps someone.

    Please contact me if you think I can help in any way to get rid of Vitiligo. I will be more than happy to help.

    • Really appreciate you sharing your story. I think for so many people this is a disease which is impossible to fix.

      I have looked outside the standard medical treatments and I too have found success. I will email as I am curious what has helped you.

      Thanks!

    • Hi Dhaval,

      I am from india , please let me know the name and address of the doctor .
      Please help me.

      Thanks,
      Abhishek

    • Hi dhaval
      Could you please provide me with the name of this homropathic doctor? My young child has vitiligo and i desperately want to help him. Please be in touch soon 🙂

    • Hi,
      I am from India currently living in UK. My 6yrs old daughter has black and white patches on toes. NHS doctors are not sure about it. They are not giving any firm diagnosis. They are not doing Wood’s Lamp test which is required to confirm vitiligo. They are saying that this condition is not life threatening, but not saying what exactly it is. I am so worried about my little daughter. Please send me your doctor’s name, number and address.
      I will be thankful.

      Manasi

  23. hi i have to been dealling with vitiligo for the past 5 years its almost covering both of my hands, the back of my neck, eyelids, nose, and also my mouth. I use to be this confident person and now i question my appearance. when i have kids that are scared of me and don’t want to give me high fives. But if you Keith and Dhaval can email me about the medicines you guys have. Thank You For you site Keith

  24. Hello, I am 18 and developed vitiligo when I was about 15. I find it hard to believe that a cure has not been found yet. I feel not enough effort has Been given into finding the cure and it really makes me mad. It is a fairly common disease, you would think a lot of effort would be given to find SOMETHING. Although it is not literally a life threatening disease, it can be depending on the person (suicide possibly).

    Some days I just look in the mirror and hate what I see. I look like a raccoon because it is all around my eyes. I also have large spots on my elbows and knee’s, under my chin area, etc. And of course I ended up getting halo neavus or whatever it’s called also, (white around moles). My cousin also has vitiligo, but mine is worse. Hers isn’t to noticeable. Anyways, I have lost so much confidence in myself and I’m no longer out going. Due to my loss in confidence, I can’t even talk to girls anymore because I’m scared they notice the spots, even though I don’t have much troubles having a thing with a girl. It’s all thanks to the loss in confidence in myself because I don’t like what I myself don’t like what I see. And not gunna lie, as a guy I have actually come to tears thinking about what I will look like in the future 🙁

  25. Hello, I’m 21 and I’ve had vitiligo for 11 years now. It started out in my hands and like with most people it started to grow at a rapid pace. I went to a dermatologist and I received the same response as the people above posted, “no cure”. For the first couple years it took a big toll in my life emotionally because of other kids making fun of me and a lot of the times I would not look at the mirror. I am not religious, but I do believe in a god and because of it I feel things happen for a reason. Once I realized who I was I began to accept myself, and instilled it in my mind that people will accept me for who I am. In my opinion, people with vitiligo should not hate themselves or their live’s, the faster you realize what is more important is your inner self and who you choose to be the faster you can move on with life. I have plenty of friends, have had couple relationships and have no problem talking with strangers or as to what they think of me.

  26. hi. i’m 12 and i got vitiligo when i was 9 (mostly biceps) and i thought it was just some kind of sickness that will just go away but as years past i realized that it was spreading to my cheeks and then to my chin and i also felt that i had a very low self esteem. i can hardly go out with people not staring at me.

    I just ask one question

    HOW DO I GET RID OF MY LOW SELF ESTEEM ?

    because its killing me at school, my friends are backing away, my family is trying to help but its not working, can somebody please help me. i’m in pain !!

    • There is a lotion in Cuba, that cures vitiligo. I am not sure what is the website, but you can google it and find it. It works, my boyfriend’s spots are getting better.

  27. Hey….i have vitiligo and i am 12 years old…it started when i was 8 nd i am rly insecure about it…i rly hopethere is a cure

  28. Hey….i have vitiligo and i am 12 years old…it started when i was 8 nd i am rly insecure about it…i rly hopethere is a cure

  29. Hi Dhaval can u please give the name and contact number of the homeopathic doctor so that we can also ask for the medicine

  30. hey guys ahh a couple years ago i also had vitiligo and just like everybody else i was always scared if ppl would notice, at the time i had it on my neck so i always wore turtle necks but evn though it was always on my mind, after getting it checked it came down to diet. ppl wit this problem need to eat more nutritinal content than avg and these patches of white skin need to be exposed to the sun because the skin makes u get tanned so as a result this will help wit getting rid of the patches. and also you need to cosume foods wit alot of vitamine b12 and getting b12 shots r really helpfull. after all this my vidiligo went away from my neck but serveral years after i got careless and forgot so i started to slack on my eatting habits and so i got it again, you get this problem on the weiredest places like i’ve had it on some of my personal areas but after repeating what i did before it went away. also cutting cuts or badly damage also results in the patches because ur white blood cells overpower ur red ones , so by eatting vitamine b12 it helps inhance ur red blood cells. i hope this helps

  31. Hi,
    I am 14 and about 2-3 months ago I started getting a few white patches (which I think is vitiligo, but I haven’t got it checked out) on my face, now I have about 5 little ones and one big one on my forehead, my ethnicity is white and black carribian so the white patches show up quite a lot! I was thinking of using some fake tan (the same colour as my skin) to cover it up, is this wise?

    Thanks, Isaac

    • Hey Isaac,

      How are you? I hear you on the contrast issue. I am of Mexican and Native American descent so the contrast is high for me too, especially when I am in the sun.

      I have used sun tanning creams and sprays. They do work. I would check with your parents do see if they support that.

      All the best!
      Keith

  32. Thank you for your website, Keith! I was around 9 when my mom first found a spot on my foot, shortly followed by ankles, eye lids, elbows, knees, stomach and (most embarrassing) genitalia. She took me to my beloved dermatologist and she told my mom to consider UVA light treatment, my mom was reluctant but didn’t want me growing up with patches all over my body. I remember the first time we did it, it burned m skin soooo bad, blisters and everything. My doctor assured me it was normal and we will just set the timer for lower, so we kept up with the PUVA treatment. Within 2 months the spots on my eyes, a few on my feet, and stomach were gone, completely! I was elated! & they have not come back. The others shrunk a considerable amount. I am pretty fair skinned so at first glance you don’t notice them. After months of doing it my mom battled her insurance and got us a portable UVA/AVB light, and it has been God sent. I am now 24 and now my mom, brothers, and son all developed vitiligo. I will not do treatment on him as he is only 2, but I ordered some oil off “vitiligo naturals”, so fingers crossed it can keep it under control.
    I am a labor and delivery nurse and was always worried how people would view me. I mean, I have to interact with people all day. So much so, I let the fear keep me from going and achieving my dreams for 4 years before I decided I was not going to let it control me anymore. I am very healthy, I have 2 beautiful children, and a wonderful husband. The rest of the worlds opinion holds no ground in my life anymore. Anyways, I went for the plunge and started my schooling, not too many people noticed anyways, but the ones that did and were curious, I just explained it briefly in a very positive manner, and they were understanding. I found the more up-beat I am about my disease the more people will respond to it positively. I got my bachelors, landed an awesome job and am almost thankful for my vitiligo, I have not let it define me, but it is a part of me..my vitiligo has taught me a lot about myself. Dramatic, I know..but it’s true. Just wanted to share my story. To anyone out there who thinks there is no hope, I am living, breathing proof that there is. Don’t just settle thinking there is no options. But as keith mentioned in his article, it doesn’t have to consume you either..

    Love and blessings!
    -Taylor

  33. Hi my son is 9, blonde and is covered with it. he swims 6 times a week and wants to be in the olympics!!!! he tells everyone it’s what micheal Jackson had and no-one ever questione him. whatch out in 4 to 8 years the first british vitiligo swimmer!

  34. I have had Vitiligo since I’ve been 5 years old. Elementary school was the hardest time of my life, all of the bullies, jokes and kids scared to touch me….I was mortified! Being a black girl made it extremely obvious. My mother purchased creams for the spots and we rubbed it on my face, knees, elbows and other various locations thee times a day. I hated it! In 5th grade we went on a field trip to the zoo and I was badly sunburned on my face mainly around my eyes. I went to a predominantly black school so peeling red skin due to sunburn was strange and everyone laughed. It was painful to blink. A boy put Elmer’s glue on his face, when it dried and began to peel he told everyone ” Look I’m Miriam!” it hurt so bad. I was shy and walked with my head down. When I went to middle school I had made 2 friends and didn’t feel so bad. Being a preteen and beginning to want to be noticed by boys it brought on a whole new level of pain and insecurity. I felt so ugly until something awesome happened. The prettiest, most popular girl in school rolled her eyes at me and said “You think you are all that. You think you are better than everyone.”. Lol, I then realized that some people just didn’t know what the hell was on my skin and I was too insecure and self loathing to just answer the damn question with my head held high. I began to talk more and when someone said a smart comment I returned the favor with the most amusing witty comment that came to mind. I tossed my sensitivity and replaced it with confidence…not with my looks but my personality! I met my first boyfriend in 8th grade and we were together for 4 years!
    Being in high school I learned that the main ones to pick at me were the guys that liked me and were afraid to talk to me because of what others might say and girls didn’t like me because they saw their boyfriends looking….let’s get to the point.

    I am now 26 with two beautiful children and a man that thinks I’m the most beautiful woman on earth! I get approached by men with compliments every time I leave my home. Not because I’ve gotten rid of my vitiligo but because I love it!!! I will never get rid of it. I still deal with ignorance with a smile and sometimes a smart comment. I have an awesome personality and I exude confidence! People revealed to me that they didn’t speak to me because I was unapproachable. I never looked at people, when I did I looked hoping for too much or expecting the worse and it showed in my face.

    I beg all of you to get over yourself. I found this site on accident trying to find info on a rash and I was disappointed to see so many negative comments. It’s freaking white spots!! Would you rather have lesions leaking puss in the place of the spots? Perhaps, be born with no legs? Blindness? Boils? Lupus? Aids? Rather be dead? Live your damn life, be you, do what you love and stop stressing about what a bunch of dumb mf’s think! Family included! There is nothing wrong with you! Stop holding yourself back. Stop looking for sympathy and then wondering why you get treated the way you do! Stop being so damn weak! Who would want to hire, be friends with, date, marry or have children with someone so needy and pitiful? I’ve had vitiligo for 21 years…it used to be on my neck, knees, cheeks and ears….USED TO BE! I still have it a little, most of it went away. All of the other cases I’ve seen, it spreads so much. From most of what I’ve read you all are so negative and stressing about a part of you! GET OVER IT, YOU HAVE VITILIGO! WHAT NEXT?

    PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [email protected] if you want to vent to someone who literally understands and can actually help you not only cope but be happy with who you are when you look in the mirror.

  35. I have had vitaligo since being about 12 years old and now I am in my 50’s.. It has held me back in life and has been an embarrasment all my life. Its all over my face now and it really sucks. I use cosmetics to cover it up but that is really a pain cause it comes off with sweat in the summer. I just drink to knumb the agony of this and I am sure this will get me sooner or later and maybe thats a good thing….

  36. im 14 i have vitiligo ive always had it and it gets to me because i dnt like the fact that people just standand stare what can i do…

  37. I hate vitiligo i am WAITING AND WAITING to get rid of it and when i finally do i will be the HAPPIEST.13 year old known in the world and when i do i’m going todo ate half of my money to charity and walk around without a shirt on being proud that i dont have vitiligo that ugly piece of white patches on my body

  38. Hello friends,

    I am a Sri Lankan living in another country.
    I had a white patch on my neck for a long time. It was not a type of a patch of Vitiligo. Though I got treatments It did’t permanently disappear. Six to seven months ago it turned to white and kept on spreading , but very slowly. I also noticed 3 new patches on my hand. So when I consulted a doctor, she told me that I have Vitiligo and gave me medicines. But it didn’t work and kept on spreading.
    When I visited Sri Lanka for the X’mas, one of my friends gave me the details of an Ayurvedic doctor( Ayurvedic – a traditional treatment method which uses only herbs) who cures it. Though I didn’t believe that much just had a visit. He was very simple person. After a long discussion he agreed to start treatments.

    Believe me my friends after taking medicine for 3 weeks, the patch is almost invisible. I am very happy about the treatments I got. He does’t go after money. But the only problem is that herb he uses is extremely rare to find. He has cured foreigners too. The only issue is the herb.
    During the treatments I had to be vegetarian plus NO ALCOHOL AT ALL. Even after I am not supposed to eat beef, pork, tomato, prawns and some list of food & fresh fish and chicken is ok. Alcohol is totally prohibited and according to him, intake of alcohol increases the spreading of the patches.

    • Hi Mash,

      I live in Dallas and I haven’t had any luck finding an Ayurvedic doctor. I have read on the internet that they also suggest no citrus. I saw an Ayurvedic doctor in London years ago, before I had vitiligo, and he told me I was a pitta. I wonder if that makes a difference. I’m very curious about this because it seems like all the “world experts” are Indian. There must be a correlation.

      Thanks for sharing your story and congrats on your repigmenting!

      All the best,

      Mo

    • Hello Mash –

      Can you share more details on that Ayurvedic medicine and Herb that treated your Vitiligo? Can this Herb be delivered to other countries? What process did you follow or are following to use this daily. Can you tell us more about daily routine of how do you use this application and what diet ragime you have.

      Thanks for sharing your success story with us.

      Good Luck
      Aniee

    • hello massh

      can u tell me the name of that herbs .i am also facing the same problem of vitiligo…..kindly help me….

      i am from india

    • Hi Mash

      Can you please let me know the name as i’m Srilankan and my son has Vitiligo, I want see the doctor.

  39. hi i got vitiligo in elem school. and now i always have to put on makeup to cover it up. and in elem everyone would ask me whats up with your neck? ughhh i cant take this anymore. i have makeup but sometimes i just feel like going out natural yknow,

  40. I too have vitiligo, it was diagnosed about 7 years ago. The suggested treatment was to apply a cream called “Protopic” on the patches, apologies if this has already been mentioned somewhere in this thread. Having read about this cream, research suggests it can take up to at least six months before any signs of it working but unfortunately it might not work in all cases. My patches seemed to go red when i applied the cream which I now understand from this forum could have been a positive sign but i decided to stop using it before any noticeable changes to my pigmentation mainly through fear of some of the side effects mentioned on the information sheet that came with it.
    I found this forum mainly because my vitiligo seems to be spreading again and i wanted to see if there had been any recent advances in medicine. I too was interested in what Mash mentioned so i had a quick look on the web and found this site. vitiligolanka.com
    Not sure if it is the same doctor or medicine Mash used but it definitely looks similar. I haven’t really explored the site yet but from a first glance it looks like there are mainly two options; a cream or tablets. I am sure it would make sense to contact the doctor for a recommendation.
    I hope this helps.
    Happy Easter for those of you that celebrate.

  41. HEEEEY
    dont worry
    ı am from turkey my mother had vitiligo .
    dont spend time with other things they say there isnt its treatment but there is alot of real treatments
    there is no incurable disease!
    only do that
    EVERYNIGHT PUT 2 DRİED FİGS INTO A GLASS OF WATER
    at morningS DRINK THIS WATER
    MY MOTHER GOT RID OF VİTİLİGO
    FİG İS VERY MARVELOUS
    Ficus carica (fig) is probably the most abundant source of psoralens.(psoralen is very important for vitiligo .it warns your pigments )
    ı am 15 years old and searched alot of thing about that
    ı tryed to make an scientific project but ı found that one chinese person said the same things before me ,
    so ı couldnt do
    but ı dont understand
    why still people struggle with other things they are painful harmfull and expensive

    it is only fig ı couldnt try this on lots of people but my mother tryed and she got rid of vitiligo
    and scientific datas confirm these
    ı believe
    and ı am praying for people who have vitiligo

    • Dear Ayse Olgar

      Thank you so much for your suggestion. I shall immediately try it even if it does not work your kindness is very much appreciated. You are one in a million with a heart of an Angel……..hope there could be many like you who cares though you are not a sufferer…..though I heard figs were good I did not give much thought till now…………..Bless You!

  42. EVERYNIGHT PUT 2 DRİED FİGS INTO A GLASS OF WATER
    at morningS DRINK THIS WATER and EAT FİGS
    BUT YOU MUST HUNGRY
    (MY MOTHER SAİD THİS )

  43. For as long I can remember I’ve had patches the size of a 5p coin… Recently the ones on my face actually disappeared.. I also had a small patch of White hair on my head, this disappeared over time also.. Recently it has come back and it’s now the size of a 50p coin… Not sure why it got better and what has made it come back.. But it give me hope that good health can make a difference.. Hope this helps

  44. Started noticing several small spots on both hands.
    Tends to be more pronounced with sun exposure.
    I see all these stories about it starting when people are in their teens.
    I am 43.

  45. Hi everyone,

    I am always in net searching for information if any new medicines for vitiligo.i am fed of this dirty disease.am praying god pl send us a cure.i have on face,hands,leiegs,chest

  46. I noticed I had a dime sized white speck on my wrist around the age of 20. Now it has spread in size and to my other wrist. Recently I noticed gray hair in my moustache and beard and thought it was quite odd considering I’m only 26. After doing some research I was lead to this site and its become somewhat clear that this is the disease I have. I’m scared to be honest. It hasn’t affected my face anywhere else yet, but I feel like it is intensifying. I don’t want to be someone that people point and gawk at or is declined for a job because they look different. Not sure what to do :\

  47. I have just been diagnosed with vitiligo a few days ago & I will say I cried my eyes out. But I am hopeful, I am staying positive. The people who love me won’t stop loving me because my skin is changing colors, & I’m not worried about what people think of me. I know my vitiligo will get better its just a matter of time!

  48. Hi I’ve had vitiligo for about 8 years I am now 16. I have spots on my fingers,wrists,elbows,hips,knees,feet,eye lids,mouth,chin, and neck I think I have it the worst because i don’t know if there is a cure. I always try to hide my vitiligo but people usually see this. My friends always tell me why do I always wear a sweater and pants. I tell them because I like it but they already know what I have so they always tell me just to tan it out. I know there trying to help but It makes me mad that they don’t know how hard my life is. Getting a girlfriend is really hard now because they all see my skin. I really hate when people look at me and see what I have ad make fun of me. I have done uv light and put on medicine but honestly I think it’s just a waste of time. Because I’m pretty sure I have the most vitiligo than the average person. Anyways I just wanted to know what you think. Thanks

  49. Hi,

    First of there is no doctor or medicine which can cure vitiligo.It is best solution that we stop thinking about vitiligo. I wasn’t worried much when i was first diagnosed and later on it has become part of my life style. I am the one who is leading my life by the way why care of what others think about me and my looks. After a bit of research i found that avoiding citric food will reduce the spread of it also it has worked for me.

    I totally agree with Kieth and its a very nice post.

    Thanks
    Jack

  50. hi, i m 23 yrs last 2 month i saw a small white patch on my right hand finger …………..allopathy doctors are not sure wiyh vitiligo bt homeopathy doctors are sure with vitiligo what should i do with this …………………plz suggest ……………. my life stop while thinking vitiligo .how can i survive with this ….it can be cured………..?????????

  51. Im just a 15 year old male with vitiligo on my genitals, fortunately it hasn’t spread, yet. Before reading the comments, i thought it was terrible for me, but now i realize that i dont have to worry about it being visible to other people (not yet at least), and I truly wish the best of luck to everyone with it on visible parts of the body. I’ll keep you in my thoughts.

  52. I have been living with this a long time. I have a couple of concerns with treatment with vitiligo.

    1) use of light therapy and cancer
    2) Use of steroids and the thinning of the skin

    I prefer with spots to cancer or and other skin disorder. I had problems with dermatologist who prescribe drugs that can cause serious burns if exposed to natural light. I had some success with the light therapy and prescribed drugs. However, this is time consuming and what are the health implications. However, I believe that stress and your diet affects the spread of this. Can someone make suggestions on dietary changes that can be made to prevent the spread of this?

    Keith, this is an awesome website. Kudos to you!

  54. I am 16 years old. I wish I could have this much enthusiasm. I try not let me vitiligo eat away at me anymore and keep me from being social but some days it’s awful. My mom wants me to go out to dances but when I tell her no, because my patches glow in black light and no dresses out there cover it all up, she gets mad, yes actually angry. She consistently tells me I’m making a big deal out of nothing and that I should just deal with it, when it’s really hard for me. Does anyone know any ways to help her understand?

    • I forgot to mention mine started when I was 9. It it everywhere. The front of my shins, the back of my knees, my thighs, stomach, chest, shoulders, back, armpits, neck, face, hair (it’s turning grey), arms (forearm, elbow, tricep & bicep areas). A lot of people talk about multiple dots. Mine starts as dots then grows together to form giant patches. Now from the waist up my entire stomach and chest is white. I mean it’s everywhere!

  55. Hey my name is Daniela, I was diagnosed with Vitiligo two years ago. I am 15 and when I was 9 I got a white spot on the side of my hip, then 2 years later I got 3 tiny spots just across on the other side, I did not really mind because they were not noticeable. Then last year I got a tiny a
    one in my finger and my dermatologist gave me an ointment and I changed my eating habbits as well as becoming more active, and the spot on my hand disappeared and the one in my hip started to regain its normal color. This year for my sophomore year I joined Cross Country and I have started to notice that my legs are getting light white spots, and it was not until now that I truly became aware of what I have. I have been told that the sun is bad for me, and it hurts so much to think that I might have to leave Cross Country. Right now I am going through a tough time because I feel like an outcast, like if I start getting more, people will judge me, because they dont know or understand, and people can be so cruel. I feel like people do not understand, and I know my parents are trying to make me feel better but they do not get how I feel. I feel really scared, like I don’t belong, and my parents try to make feel like it is nothing but it is something, its affecting me. I know that I have to be positive but it is hard.

  56. I have vitiligo my name is Maribel I have it on one of my elbows and my back i always wear longsleeve shirts because im scared what other people are going to say about me and i was wondering what is the best way to start out by trying to get my color back… i just want to be a normal girl like the others and be able to wear anything i want without worring about what others say.

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  58. I have had vitiligo since I can remember. It is a larger area on my lower leg. Always been self conscious about it when I notice people pointing or staring at it. I know its only my leg but still feel the effects of todays society! I feel for everyone who is dealing with this disease! My Mother had it on her back and it never changed or grew her whole life. I am 30 this year and still bothered by it and was considering a tattoo over the area? Does anyone have any actual experience with this option. I am looking at getting a true (picture/design)tattoo not a colour matching tattoo! I went to a specialist to get a biopsy and info on my scenario. He said I have little chance of it spreading since its been relatively stagnant for 20yrs now. He also advised against the tattoo though cause of possible spreading from injury? they took a chunk of skin for the biopsy which I though was already risky? Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

  59. I would just like to share my story.

    I have vitiligo in various places on my body, mostly hidden and it’s never spread much.

    2 years ago I had a very stressful time and almost my entire beard went pure white, it looked terrible… Eventually I removed the stressful things from my life, started excersising and went travelling, my whole beard went back to its natural colour, no idea how or why, was it the stress, or a coincidence?

    However, now I’ve got loads of patches of white hair coming back, it’s spreading again and apparently it seems there is nothing I can do to stop it.

    Why would it come and go? I had another stressful period, but that’s gone now, it seems like a trigger which once fired cannot be stopped.

    Anyone have thoughts on this?

    • When i went to the doctor they said i got vitiligo because of to much stress so maybe thats why?

  60. Hi, I have it on my elbow ,one spot on my hand and recently it came on my lips, I feel if it covers my whole body then nobody will want to be my friend, people will talk about me,nobody will accept me , for who I am! im scared, everybody tells me , there is no cure, whenever they tell me that I start to cry, it hurts me,what will my friends think of me…IS THERE A CURE ??

    • Hi Kimberlin-
      Unfortunately, there is no cure for vitiligo because one cannot change his or her genetic predisposition. HOWEVER, that does NOT mean that it is hopeless. There is so much you can do to help put your vitiligo into remission. It does take determination and time, but you absolutely CAN stop and reverse it. I have stopped mine from progressing with diet, vitamins and minerals, and natural thyroid medication. Now I am going to start working on repigmentation.
      Keep your head up, and try to stay positive. A positive attitude can go a long way in healing. If believ you can conquer it, you absolutely can.

  61. My child has recently been diagnosed with vitiligo. Doctors say there’s little they can do to help. He has it on his legs and a few tiny spots in his arm. I feel devastated as i have no clue about my child’s future. Could you please share some if your dietry tips .., perhaps it can help. Thank you

  62. Hi , Frnds I am Rahul From India I also had vitligo spots on my leg and hand joint , i take treatment and get thanks to homeopathy, but i also do some natural things like sitting 10 minutes daily in sun light and drink water after stored whole in cooper vessel and carrat, ginger mix juice is very helpful you can also do so it is very helpful please try..

  63. I’ve had vitiligo ever since I was in the fourth grade. It started on my face and has been spreading ever since. It seems to have come to a halt for now, but it is extremely hard to deal with. I am 17 now. I have it on my face, legs, stomach, back, arms, feet, fingers, and pretty much everywhere else. I have a pretty extreme case. I am naturally very tan so of course it is very noticable. Its always been really hard for me to accept myself. People don’t really say anything about it to me anymore though. I have a lovely boyfriend of two years who loves me regardless of my vitiligo, but I find it hard to believe that he actually wants to be with someone like me when there are tons of beautiful girls without this disease.

  64. I had my vitiligo since i was in 4th grade currently i am in 7th grade;middle school. ive been going to the docter to get lazer treatment it kinda works it just takes a while i have it on my feet my knees my growing my hips my elbow my hand and my eyelids and i love wearing shorts but since 4th grade i hated it people would look at me and stare and ask wats that on my hand and im in that grade where i care what people think of me i wanted to join basketball but i had to wear shorts so i didnt try out my vitiligo keeps spreading and i hate it i wear pants everyday to skool no matter wat weather i wear sweaters mostly.i want to try ur edvice but im just affraid cuz ppl alrfeady ask me stuff about it. They say the reason of vitiligo is cause u stress to much.i litterly cry myself to sleep hoping the next day i wouldnt have it no more. I HATE MY BODY. Currently im trying this tanning cream to cover my spots. I look like a domnation or however u spell that dogs name. my parents tell me to not care watother people think about it but it hard i like getting attention but not in that way i want to wear shorts to skool without ppl asking wats that on my skin or without gvetting stared at

  65. Is it possible for vitiligo to get worse before it gets better? My vitiligo has been dormant for many many years and I started to use aloe vera gel on my vitiligo and it started to act up. It looks splotchy around the edges and it has never looked like this before. If anyone has experienced or has an opinion please let me know!

  66. Hi anyone reading this,
    Google a great article from the Dermatology Times, by Dr David Crutchfield, its very good, think its called ‘the big picture’.
    A study was done with people taking supplements of vit e, vit c (from what ive read 1000mg a day) good fats like avocado, sardines, olive oil etc and Apha lipoic acid. and 75% improvement in response to uv treatment as compared to only 18% in the placebo group. I found out that due to having my gall bladder removed aged 19 I cant store fat soluble vitamins A, D, K and due to this people with no gall bladder need uv light to get vitamin d. Interestingly Id been avoiding the sun like the plague for 20 years because of not wanting my vitiligo to be more noticable and in doing so probably making the condition worse. Also not being able to store vitamin a I ended up getting cataracts (which are also a bit of a link to vitiligo/photsensitivity stuff). What Im trying to say is getting good fats into you, flaxseed oil, avocodos. Also antiinflammatory stuff (avocado is one, also onions, celery and garlic are antiinflammatory). Also you could check your copper levels, take vitamins b, vitamin e, alpha lipoec acid (300mg tablets), they are just a natural amino acid which help diabetics also for the insulin response. Bear in mind they say they think vitiligo may have autoimmune aspect and diabetes is also autoimmune. I juice 2 stalks of celery and a carrot every morning (they both have vitamin A) and is a diuretic and antiinflammatory. Apples are a huge plus for vitiligo as they know your pigment is being destroyed due to oxidative stress build up in your skin and apples have an attribute of clearing oxidative stress build up. Google health benefits of eating apples.
    I have been using the Tacromilus (an ointment in the family of immunomodulators, as in drug for stopping you rejecting an organ after a transplant/helps stop you rejecting your own melanin) Proven biopsies showing less oxidative waste in the skin. In Australia it is $175 for 100 grams and I get $31 back on private health cover. Also the steroid with Vitamin D included i use a bit. I have had 30 uv treatments now, Mon Wed and Friday and started at a few seconds and now up to 7 minutes. I have had heaps of pigment come back and even my hands and feet which are apparently the most stubborn have spots like freckles all over and my back is filling in fast, it is only 9 weeks into treatment. I am throwing the book at it because I have just been using Microskin ( a sterile second skin you air brush or stipple on) they color computer match you and it is exact. and is waterproof and lasts for two to three days. It was invented in australia but is available in other countries, just google Microskin. I am caucasian and didnt think there was a cure. doctors dont take it seriously, I am a nurse and work with Doctors and they are largely ignorant about it and a lot of things. They dont spend much time on diet in Medical training. I would have appreciated one Doctor telling me that because Id had my gall bladder out Id need vitamin d, a and k because my bile would destroy all fat soluble vitamins because bile is meant to only be squirted out of your gall bladder to break down fat when you eat something fatty, but with no gall bladder, fat breaking bile flows through 24/7 and destroys good vitamins , the fat soluble ones. Vitamin c and b are water soluble and you just pee it out. So get the spinach or brocolli, carrots, apples, vitamins esp c, e, and d and the alpha lipoec acid into you. And go for it.
    Remember Microskin is impossible to detect and noone ever even knew I had vitiligo. I m getting into treatment because I got it at 35 and now 48 and it was getting worse on knees and shins and I worry about fake tan chemicals actually spreading it so treating it instead.
    Also they are on the tail of a cure, dont worry, all this recent research into diabetes also connects to vitiligo its only a matter of time.
    A side note, mine got worse after tonnes of excercise (due to more oxidative stress now I realise) so Im a bit more moderate. Was doing 2 hours intense cardio 5 days a week, now 1 and a bit hours instead. Also when I have strictly dieted (calories restricted) to lose 2 or 3 kgs was always followed by a new bit of vitiligo. So chill out and dont stress your body too much. Fat break down created waste products like ketones and the rest so not surprising extra waste products people with vitiligo seem to lack a little process that gets rid of that end waste product hydrogen peroxide (that everyone gets, but their bodies can process it, we cant). That is where the apples come in or the ointment to not rejec t an organ come in. the Tacromilus doesnt thin the skin like corticosteroids and appear to have no side effects. I am going through a tub every 3 weeks as I have it on my shins, keens, forearms, hands, chest, upper back, shoulders, face, genitals. fun fun fun. My shoulders are nearly all back to normal as well as my back. I have a gorgeous partner who loves me and says get over yourself , etc and loves me, so dont think it will stop you getting a partner. You can look after your teeth, have nice hair, be attractive etc and use your microskin, I dont think he even really knew I had it for the first 7 or 8 years, microskin is great. Now it got worse he already loves me and doesnt mind at all, just says dont worry about it so much. If we take all these vitamins we will be fighting cancer all the way into the bargain. Blessing in disguise. Narrowband uv isnt linke dto cancer statistically and in Australia every man and his dog gets skin cancers matter of course, I live in Queensland, the skin cancer capital of the world, and they have pioneered amazing skin cancer diagnostics and early treatments recently to beat it. Love Georgia Hope some of this helps you guys. My boyfriend said why did I wait so many years for treatment. Glad I did avoid the whole PUVA /Psoralen treatment tho, that sounded like a slow, side effect filled not as long lasting dud of a treatment.

  68. Hi everyone,, well iam 35yrs old and just got diagnosed with vitiligo. I once noticed white spots below my lips but didn’t give it much thought, , I Kay tought it was sun spots since I live in fl,,however it doesn’t go away and 5 months later the spots became one big spot. .. I have no health insurance and I am wondering if trying all these treatments are even worth it if I Jane to pay out of pocket…. has anything worked for any of u???? I did research on natural cures and I’m trying some some… I am devestated as this disease can play an emotional toll on you… I need some advice in whatever comes to anyones mind about this ….. thanks

  69. Hi Keith,

    I diagnosed with early vitiligo few weeks back, The white patches are on beard side, At this pint of time they are very mild and unnoticeable. I want to know whether these patches changes in color and become more white and shiny? Will they spread, How much time they take to spread?

  70. Am from india.I do have vitiligo .it started 2 months back with a dull white spot which expanded..one of my friends seven year baby also had same problem he took ayurvedic medicine and his patcjes cleared completely today i went to same doctor and a lady came there her patches were also cleared by imedicine.i hope i wll also get rid of this problem

  71. Hey dears m reposting ..two mnths back i went to a doc.m taking herbal medicine nd m getting my skin color back..u all should also give this medicine a chance..many patients r healing

  73. Hi Mahal,

    Can you plesae give me the herbal treatment center name and address. My son probably has vitiligo. He is 7 years of age. We live in sydney

  74. Hi,

    I am 37 years old, having 4-5 white spots on hands and legs from 1 year. started taking Ayurvedic medicine, after 4 months almost all spots disappeared except small patch on leg. Then I stopped the medicine and started alcohol & non-veg. After a some time small white spot became bigger and started other parts of the leg and hand. Again taking Ayurvedic medicine from last 3 months. Now its better.

  75. Hi Mahal,

    Please let me know. My email address is bantynigam@gmail dot com

    Thanks in advance.

  76. There is a guy on YouTube repigmenting by using 4 inexpensive supplements. Look up Erick Barrios and Vitiligo. It should come up. Good luck. I’ve had this for 34 years (since my child was born). It’s no fun. I had such beautiful skin too. But don’t despair, I also had pretty good jobs despite it!

  77. not many know this about me but i started getting pale patches of skin on my ankles and arms around age 13 and developed depression stopped going outside and by age 17 it had taken over nothing was really done about it people just told me don’t be depressed ,
    by age 20 i noticed grey patches in my hair as well as my lips even getting small white spots for me this was enough i started to change my diet exercise and use any herb supplement i thought could help im still looking forward to positive changes and feeling more confident

  78. Thanks for writing. It’s great to hear of the pain that others are also feeling.
    I am now nearly 36,and have it on my face .it makes me so upset .I’m an anxious person for about 10 years now so it’s been really hard on me as I’m sure it is for a lot of people. Every morning I wash my face and first thing I hope it’s top see some improvement. If never does! For me it came on at around 33 years old, before then i had beautiful skin ! Anyway I just bought a bunch of stuff to try (pro biotic, gloaming, NAC) and will cut out sugar. Will report back by end of year.

    • That was gluten in error those interested. Also getting sugar or if you’re dish apparently helps.
      I have to say my diet went really bad just before I got this disease.. I don’t even like calling it that!

  79. I have had vitiligo for 6 years now and I really want to get rid of it but I just don’t know how to I have tried a lot of treatments but it seems nun of them have worked. Someone told me that I should use mayonnaise but I haven’t tried it at school everyone would make fun of me because I had them. I would like to be like the rest of the girls, I can’t do sports or wear make up my mom said it for my good but I want to do sports what can I do to get rid of my vitiligo?