Vitiligo is caused by the body’s own immune system attacking melanocytes (pigment cells).  This condition can affect any area of the body in various patterns, but often affects the hands, feet, body folds, genital area, lips and the area around the eyes.  Where areas of hair-bearing skin are affected, it can cause the hairs to turn white.  For some people this condition seems to worsen with stress or physical injury and can emerge in any area of skin damage or injury, such as cuts, scratches or sunburn (known as koebnerisation). It can also be associated with other autoimume conditions, the most common being thyroid disease, in the patient or patient’s family.  Blood tests are not needed to diagnose vitiligo; however, the treating dermatologist may carry out blood tests to look for possible linked conditions or other associations.

Treatments at The Skin Hospital

Our specialty clinics are run by dermatologists who have sub-specialised in a chosen condition bringing deep knowledge and specific expertise. 

General measures

• Avoid friction/injury like scratches and sunburn
• Take care of your physical and mental health, and eat a balanced diet

Physical therapy

• Many patients respond to light therapy (NB-UVB), which may be light therapy combined with oral or topical therapy, and can be carried out at our Westmead and Darlinghurst sites. Extended courses of therapy are often needed for a good outcome and a noticeable benefit is not usually seen until around four sessions of therapy.
• Excimer UV-light targets the skin’s immune system to stimulate pigment cells to repigment and is good for small patches.
• The Skin Hospital offers a Home Based Phototherapy for some patients, ask our nurses about this option.

Surgical treatments

• In people with limited stable vitiligo, surgery might be an option. This involves using the patient’s own skin with pigment cells that is transplanted from the unaffected skin into the affected areas.  Techniques used for melanocyte transplantation include punch grafting, as well as suction blister grafting and novel cellular grafting techniques, which are all offered at The Skin Hospital.

Camouflage

• Skilled use of camouflage specialist make-up products can help to cover up affected areas while waiting for the medical treatment to start working.  A nurse-led camouflage clinic is available at Darlinghurst and Westmead.

Depigmenting therapy

• Medications can be used to lighten the darker surrounding skin (to reduce contrast) in circumstances where the affected skin is not responding to other treatments, or when the vitiligo is particularly extensive.

Other options

• There is currently a lot of research investigating treatments for vitiligo and our specialists will be able to discuss newly available treatment options with you. There are also opportunities to participate in clinical trials if available and you meet the required criteria.

The Skin Hospital runs a specialty clinic at Darlinghurst and Westmead dedicated to the treatment of vitiligo. If you would like to find out more about the clinics please contact us.  The following doctors specialise in the treatment of vitiligo:

Further Information

If you would like any further information about vitiligo the sites below provide more in-depth descriptions of the types and causes of skin cancer:

Vitiligo – DermNet NZ 

Vitiligo – American Academy of Dermatology

Vitiligo – British Association of Dermatology 

Patient support groups, which may be helpful for patients and their families:

Vitiligo Association Australia

Vitiligo Support International