Vitiligo on lips

Hello sir, Thank you for your valuable inquiry. As per your question, there may exist a possibility of vitiligo, need to examine you personally to diagnose your problem.

However, “Vitiligo “ or white patch is an autoimmune skin condition. In this disease, our body’s natural immunity is disturbed. In this disease, our body kills our own melanocytes [Melanin pigment-producing cells ] considering them as a foreign body. This causes the skin to gradually losing their pigment. This is the time when you start observing white patches on your skin.

These patches can occur in many parts of our body like mouth, nose, face, chest, back, abdomen, genitals, sometimes unilateral & sometimes bilateral.  In extensive cases, it spreads all over the body & becomes generalized. Hair can also become white after loosing of pigment.

Risk factors for vitiligo

Include family history, persons having other autoimmune conditions like hyperthyroidism, Alopecia areata, pernicious anemia. Vitiligo is not a contagious disease.

Types of vitiligo

Vitiligo can be  classified into two types :

• Segmental vitiligo:- It is rare, in 10 % of the cases, which involves only one side of the body right or left. These are usually of stable variety & doesn’t spread easily. It is in a segmental pattern.
• Non-segmental [Generalized ] vitiligo:- This is the more common type. White patches are usually spreading over different body areas.

Vitiligo is a controllable disease. Treatment of vitiligo depends upon the type of vitiligo, stability of lesions, area involved, duration of the problem. Treatments are recommended to stabilize the lesions & arrest its spread.

Treatment for vitiligo on lips

Nowadays various advanced treatments are available to control vitiligo. This treatment includes –

• NB UVB phototherapy
• PUVA therapy
• Excimer Laser therapy
• Targeted phototherapy
• Oral & topical medications.

These treatments help to stabiles the white patches & help in repigmentation on the affected area. White patches on Hairy areas on the body like legs, chest, arms, abdomen are early to respond than Non-hairy areas such as Lips, fingertips, toes, feet, around eyes, genitals & nose these are difficult to respond areas. This is because of lack of melanin pigment containing hair follicles. Results of these treatments are gradual. It may take 3 to 4 months to starts getting pigmentation on the white patches. Patient has to be under treatment for a minimum  6 months to 1 year to get desired results followed by maintenance.

You can option for these treatments after consultation with a Board-certified dermatologist, who can take your history in details, examine your lesions, & according to that can guide you for the best possible solution for your problem.

The treatment of vitiligo is required only for the cosmetic reason, it doesn’t involve any systemic illness. So you should not worry about the problem. You can certainly live a confident life. Hope we have answered all your queries, Still, if you have more queries, feel free to post your questions, will be happy to answer those as early as possible.