vitaligo

[Andy Hamilton]

I was diagnosed with vitaligo last year and told that other then steriods that don't always work and can cause weight gain, there was not much that could be done. I put on sunblock whenever I go out for long periods of time to keep it at bay. But it seems to keep spreading. - I too don't really want to go down the steriod route especially if it does not work and just makes me fat(ter).

It is suposed to be a genetic disease but Dave has not had it. It is charactrised by white blotches where the pigment of the skin does not produce and melonin. Can't say it worries me greatly but it would be good to rid myself of it. It is the same thing that Micheal Jackson reportedly had.

[Stonehead]

I was diagnosed with vitaligo last year and told that other then steriods that don't always work and can cause weight gain, there was not much that could be done. I put on sunblock whenever I go out for long periods of time to keep it at bay. But it seems to keep spreading. - I too don't really want to go down the steriod route especially if it does not work and just makes me fat(ter).

It is suposed to be a genetic disease but Dave has not had it. It is charactrised by white blotches where the pigment of the skin does not produce and melonin. Can't say it worries me greatly but it would be good to rid myself of it. It is the same thing that Micheal Jackson reportedly had.

A friend of mine suffers from vitaligo and he says there's no cure, although some surgeons do skin transplants to the affected areas. My friend takes B-complex vitamins, but that's about it. He calls it urban camouflage!

[Shirley]

I seem to recall that you can get some sunscreens on prescription via the doctor if you have vitaligo - might be worth considering as you are outside a lot!

[Andy Hamilton]

yep free sunscreen might help out, I do find that it tends to spread after a day out when I forget to slap it on.

I like the urban camoflage comment thought stoney, it makes it seem less of a problem with a name like that. Will try taking some supliment though can't do any harm.

[Stonehead]

I like the urban camoflage comment thought stoney, it makes it seem less of a problem with a name like that. Will try taking some supliment though can't do any harm.

But B says it's hard finding combats with a matching pattern.

In all seriousness, though, hopefully the sunscreen and supplements will help to some extent.

[hedgewizard]

Check it out dude.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/ar ... tionId=856

If you'd like me to research sunblocks for you give me a shout - there are some that sink right down into the base layer of the skin so that they can't be washed off, but I'm not sure if they're prescribable.

[Pilsbury]

Got diagnosed with this about 10 years ago and have come to live with it, i dont even realise i have it most of the time. Mine is spreading as well but quite slowly with a few new patches showing up every now and again.
Mine is mostly on my hands and arms althougt the new bitsa are coming up on my legs but as far as i have been told there is no medical cure that will work 100%, dont bother with the steroids they just made me fatter than i was and it didnt help.
I was told by a guy who stopped me in the street and said he had had it and took Zinc suppliements and it gradually went over the course of 2 years but it never worked for me.
I am told it is a n Autoimmune illness, as is alopiecia, or hair loss which happened to me 5 years ago ( Thats right Vitaligo and alopiecia) although i MUST STRESS THEY AER NOT LINKED, if you have one it doesnot mean you will get the other, but in the last 2 years all my hair has returned ( even my eye brows and eye lashes) with no treatment so it might be possable that vitaligo will go as well.
All i can say is please dont get stressed over it, it seems most people dont even notice it or if they do they dont mention it, i have only ever had curious questions directed at me and just explained the condition to people and they seemed happy enough.

[Milims]

It may be worth consulting a homeopath. I'm not sure that it is cureable but I do know that there is a homeopathic remedy called medorrinum which has something to do with it. BTW don't ask where medorrinum comes from - you REALLY don't want to know!!!

[PurpleDragon]

BTW don't ask where medorrinum comes from - you REALLY don't want to know!!!

Well, now my curiousity is aroused, and i shall have to ask the question :)

[Martin]

that'll be a polycrest! It's from Gonorrhea!
(nothing to clap about!)

[Milims]

See - told you it was ikky!! Spoke to my friend who's a homeopath and she agreed that it might be worth an ask

[heylittledoggie]

Hello, I'm new!!

I've had vitaligo for many years now. I had a treatment called PUVA which did stimulate some repigmentation but not much, but about five years later my patches are beginng to repigment all on there own - not very uiniformly but hey ho! So there is hope.

have a look at the vitaligo society website for all the latest treatments etc.

http://www.vitiligosociety.org.uk/

[Shirley]

Hi HLD

:welcomeish:

[Pilsbury]

but about five years later my patches are beginng to repigment all on there own - not very uiniformly but hey ho! So there is hope.

I konw, I live in hope since my hair came back that my patches might go.

[Dave]

I do find Andy's vitaligo very strange. I constantly look to see if I am getting it too but as yet have had no signs of it.

The vitaligo website that heylittledoggie mentioned even said this ". In at least some people, it is the genes that you inherit which predispose you to developing the condition. A study of identical twins, which the Society helped to fund, supported this theory, and there is extensive evidence from several larger studies that some vitiligo is inherited."

If that is the case, I have identical genes to Andy but do not have the condition. I will email them and post their response up here.