New Health Guide
Melanin is the component responsible for giving your skin its color. Melanin is a pigment that is manufactured in the skins outermost layer, and the melanin concentration is what determines your skin color. Melanocytes are cells that are located at your epidermis's basal layer which are responsible for manufacturing melanin.
People who have dark skin have larger amounts of melanin than people with lighter skin. It is very important for your skin to produce melanin regularly to ensure that it maintains its color. If you have white spots on your skin, it means that there is a melanocyte malfunction which causes inadequate melanin production, or it could be caused by other skin condition.
Discoloration of the skin does not disappear by itself; it is caused by a decrease in the supply of melanin. However, discoloration of your skin can also mean you have a skin infection. It is discussed below:
Symptoms. When you suffer from vitiligo, it means that your melanocytes have been destroyed, and so, there is no melanin production. White spots will appear in the initial stages of vitiligo, but as time goes by the spots enlarge to white skin patches. If no treatment is received, the discoloration could affect the whole body in the long-run.
Treatment. It is not a must for you to use a medical treatment when treating vitiligo because there are times when the color of the skin returns without using any treatments. For some, however, using cosmetic cram and sunscreen improves the appearance of their skin. Those with fair skin should avoid tanning because it will only make the patches noticeable. You can also use topical corticosteroids and immunomodulators. In severe cases, surgery is needed.
Symptoms. Although the skin normally has fungi, the fungi only become a problem when their growth exceeds the normal range. The excess fungi leads to the condition called tinea versicolor. The areas affected change color, and the discoloration manifests as white small spots on your skin. They are usually found on the back, shoulder area and chest.
Treatment. After extermination, your doctor may prescribe topical, anti-fungal creams to apply to the spots to even-out the skin color. Oral antifungal meds that include Sporanox or Nizoral can also be presribled. You can also go for OTC medications like clotrimazole and miconazole..Additionally, lotions that contain selenium sulfide, pyrithione zinc and ketoconazole are very effective.
Symptoms. This condition results from a decreased melanin production. Its symptoms include the small (0.5 to 1 cm in size) and stretchy white spots on skin. In later stages, small spots close to each other can combine, which gives rise to white patches. In this condition spots do not become red when friction is applied to it.
Treatment. This condition is untreatable. Even so, you can hide the spots using cosmetics. Consult your doctor on the appropriate cosmetics (such as laser and transplantation) to use.
Symptoms. It is characterized by tiny white patches on your skin confined to your arms, neck and face areas. This skin is common to children of ages between six to twelve years. Its initial manifestation is irregularly shaped reddish-pink lesions on the skin. After some time, the lesions will form scaly white marks on the child's superficial skin.
Treatment. Usually, the skin returns to its original color over time without using any treatments. However, you can still use some skin care products like topical corticosteroids to give the skin its natural color/an even color. It is also important to keep your skin moisturized and avoid harsh sun exposure at the same time.
Symptoms. The white spots/marks (usually around 2-5 mm in size) appear on the skin areas that are normally exposed like the arms, face and neck areas. This means that there is a high likelihood that this condition is caused by the sun's UV rays.
Treatment. You can use steroid cream. Alternatively, there are surgical procedures that your doctor may recommend after examining you. Surgical procedures like cryotherapy involve using nitrogen to freeze the affected areas.
Symptoms. This condition is not common. It is characterized by patchy, thin white skin. The patches can appear on any body part but are mostly found around the anus and genitals. This problem is most common in women who are in their post-menopausal stage.
Treatment. The cause of this condition may be hormonal or immune disorder or imbalance, however, we are not sure. Even so, you can use ointments and corticosteroid creams to treat it.
White spots on the skin can also occur due to malnutrition, lack of vitamin D, E and calcium. If you observe white or brown spots on your skin and they do not disappear after a week, it is best to consult your dermatologist.
