Vitiligo Specialist
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Midwest Dermatology
Dermatologists located in Arlington Heights, IL & Bloomingdale, IL
While the uneven skin tone caused by vitiligo isn’t usually anything to worry about from a medical standpoint, it can certainly make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. With an extensive background in diagnosing and treating vitiligo, the dermatologists of Midwest Dermatology can help improve your skin’s coloring and minimize blotchiness. Book your appointment at the Arlington Heights or Bloomingdale, Illinois office by using the online scheduling feature or by calling your closest clinic.
Vitiligo Q & A
What is vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a skin disease that affects the pigment of your skin. Rather than having a smooth, even skin tone, your skin color appears blotchy. While vitiligo can affect anyone, you’re more likely to have it if you have darker skin. And while it can affect any age group, you’re more likely to develop it before age 20.
A pigment known as melanin determines your skin and hair color. Vitiligo affects cells that produce melanin: the cells either die or stop producing the pigment.
What are the signs of vitiligo?
The most common sign of vitiligo is patches of lighter skin color. If you’re dark-skinned, you’re likely to develop blotchy spots that are much lighter. You could also experience:
- Premature hair whitening or graying
- Loss of color in the tissues inside your mouth
- Change or loss of color in your retina
Each case of vitiligo is different, so your dermatologist strives to ensure you’re treated as an individual. Vitiligo can occur anywhere on your body. While some men and women only have it on one side of their bodies, others have very localized patches.
It’s important to see your dermatologist as soon as you spot signs of vitiligo; the sooner he catches early warning signs, the quicker he can start treatments.
How is vitiligo treated?
The goal of vitiligo treatment is to restore your skin’s natural color and even out your skin tone as much as possible. The dermatologist may treat you with:
- Specialized light therapy treatments
- Depigmentation treatments
- Corticosteroid creams
In extreme cases of vitiligo, a dermatologist could suggest surgery. With a custom skin grafting procedure, for instance, he removes small sections of skin that have normal pigment and attaches them to areas where you’ve lost pigment.
Another option is micropigmentation, which is similar to tattooing. With this treatment, the team of dermatologists at Midwest Dermatology use a surgical instrument to implant pigment into your skin. Usually, micropigmentation treatments are best for loss of pigmentation around your lips and on your face.
Even if your treatment is effective, it’s possible that vitiligo might come back to the treated areas.
Book your visit at Midwest Dermatology in Arlington Heights and Bloomingdale, Illinois, either through the online booking feature or by calling the clinic.
