Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition where the skin loses its pigment cells (melanocytes), resulting in discoloured patches. It can affect any area of the body and may also affect the hair and inside of the mouth. The extent and rate of colour loss is unpredictable.
Signs and symptoms
Vitiligo commonly presents with the following signs. Not every patient shows all of them — an in-person examination by a dermatologist is what confirms the diagnosis.
Depigmentation
Gradual or sudden loss of melanin pigment from the skin, leading to lighter areas that may spread over time.
Affected area: skin (any area)
Premature Greying of Hair
Loss of hair colour before the age of 25 in Asians, presenting as white or grey strands appearing progressively.
Affected area: scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes
White Patches on Skin
Clearly demarcated areas of skin that have lost their natural colour, appearing lighter or completely white compared to surrounding skin.
Affected area: skin (any area)
Causes
The exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to involve autoimmune destruction of melanocytes. Genetic factors, stress, sunburn, and chemical exposure may trigger or worsen the condition.
Treatment approach
At our centre, we treat vitiligo with a carefully planned combination of topical corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, systemic medications, and monitored sunlight exposure (phototherapy). Our approach is conservative — we focus on repigmentation through medication and lifestyle guidance before considering any advanced procedures. Many patients see meaningful improvement within 3-6 months.
Common questions
Is vitiligo curable?
Vitiligo is a long-term condition rather than an infection that can be cleared in a course of medicine, so it is more accurate to speak of repigmentation than of cure. Many patients do regain colour in affected areas with consistent treatment, and results are generally better when treatment begins early and when the patches are on the face and trunk rather than the hands and feet. What we can say honestly is that the extent of repigmentation varies from person to person, and no dermatologist can promise a specific result before examining the skin.
Is vitiligo contagious? Can it spread from person to person?
No. Vitiligo cannot pass from one person to another by touch, by sharing food or utensils, or by living together — it is not caused by a germ. The patches occur because the body's own pigment-producing cells stop working in those areas. This question matters to us because the social stigma around white patches in India causes real distress, and that stigma is based on a belief that is simply not true.
How long does vitiligo treatment take to show results?
Visible improvement typically takes three to six months, and this is not a sign that treatment is failing — pigment cells repopulate skin slowly. The most common reason we see treatment fail in Jabalpur is not the medicine but the stopping of it: patients discontinue after a few weeks because nothing has visibly changed yet. Repigmentation usually begins as small dark specks within a patch rather than the patch fading uniformly, so those specks are the sign worth watching for.