Everyone has some unevenness in their skin color and tone, but in some people, genetics or certain diseases can cause patches of skin that are lacking in color, or pigmentation. Although some of these cases can't be treated, many can be improved via various treatments, or they may simply resolve on their own. However, if you notice any pigment changes in your skin, you should consult with your physician about the most effective course of therapy.
Identification
Pigmentation in your skin is created by special skin cells called melanocytes that produce a brown substance known as melanin. When there is a lack of pigmentation, the melanin production has been disturbed, leading to the loss of color. The most common cause of a lack of pigmentation is vitiligo, with as many as 65 million people worldwide suffering from the condition, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Types of Pigmentation DIsorders
Vitiligo may be hereditary and is often associated with autoimmune diseases, occurring most frequently in dark-skinned people and individuals between the ages of 20 and 30, according to Jane Marshall, editor of the dermatology web site SkinHelp.com. Vitiligo Support International adds that other causes of pigmentation loss include nevus depigmentosus, localized white spots on skin that are sometimes present from birth and don't increase in size or number; idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, a genetic disorder that leads to thinner skin, a lack of melanocytes and white spots occasionally accompanied by mildly scaly lesions; white scars; pityriasis alba, most common in children that may be caused by heat, humidity, smoke and stress; and albinism, the genetic condition that results in pale skin throughout the body, white hair and pink or pale blue eyes.
Prevention/Solution
There is no cure for albinism, but other conditions such as vitiligo can be treated, although it may take up to 18 months, and you may have to try more than one treatment to correct the problem, according to the MayoClinic.com, which adds that the most commonly-used treatments include: topical corticosteroid creams; calcipotriene, a topical vitamin D derivative; topical immunomodulator ointments such as tacrolimus or pimecrolimus; oral medications such as psoralen; or topical psoralen used in conjunction with ultraviolet light therapy. If you have vitiligo that covers more than half of your skin, the Merck Manual recommends considering depigmentation therapy, which lightens the unaffected areas of your skin to match the areas that have turned white. More extreme treatments can include skin grafts, tattooing or melanocyte transplants.
Expert Insight
A link between a specific gene and the inflammatory skin condition vitiligo was found by scientists at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, published in March 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers concluded that the discovery could lead to combining a genetically-designed drug with UV light therapy to improve vitiligo treatment, as well as finding the signals that trigger autoimmune disease. Another study led by D. Parsad and published in 2003 in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, discovered that ginkgo biloba extract produced a statistically significant reduction in the progression of depigmentation in vitiligo patients, which may provide an alternate treatment in some cases.
Warning
The Merck Manual warns that areas of unpigmented skin may be more prone to sunburn and skin cancer. You should take extra precautions to stay out of direct sunlight when possible and use a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor of at least 30 to block UVA and UVB rays.
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