Excimer Laser
Phototherapy for Psoriasis and Vitiligo

The main goal of vitiligo treatment is to recover at least part of the lost skin color. How much pigment returns, and how quickly, varies from person to person, but improvement generally comes slowly and gradually.

For example, when phototherapy or ointment treatment is continued for several months or more, pigment cells regenerate within the white patches as small brown spots that spread outward, and the skin color begins to return. It is difficult, however, for the original skin color to be fully restored all at once; partial repigmentation usually occurs gradually. Pigment gained through treatment can also fade again over time, so maintenance treatment may be needed to sustain the results. Rather than thinking in terms of a complete cure, it is more realistic to focus on continuous management — recovering as much skin color as possible and keeping the condition from worsening.

The speed and pattern of vitiligo's progression differ from person to person and are difficult to predict. It generally tends to progress slowly, but at times it can spread rapidly. In active vitiligo, where new patches keep appearing, treatments such as a short course of oral corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) can be tried to slow the progression. Meanwhile, segmental vitiligo, which is confined to one side of the body, usually begins at a young age, progresses quickly for about 6~12 months, and then typically stops. Non-segmental vitiligo (the common form appearing across the body) has no definite point at which progression fully stops, but treatment can suppress the spread of the patches or slow it down.

No. Vitiligo is not a contagious disease. It is not caused by bacterial or viral infection, and it cannot be passed on through contact with a patient. It is a non-infectious skin condition arising from an autoimmune abnormality, so skin contact or sharing daily life with someone who has vitiligo carries no risk of transmission whatsoever — you can be completely at ease.

With vitiligo, daily care and lifestyle habits matter too. Following the skin care and lifestyle guidelines below helps prevent the condition from worsening and keeps the skin healthy.

Vitiligo is a condition that can affect anyone, regardless of age or ethnicity. It appears in roughly 0.5~2% of the world's population, occurring at nearly the same rate irrespective of skin color or ethnicity. How noticeable it is, however, can differ with skin tone. In people with darker skin or those who tan easily, the color contrast between the white patches and the surrounding normal skin is sharp, making the patches stand out more. In people with very light skin, on the other hand, the white patches may be relatively inconspicuous. In terms of age, onset at a young age is common. Around 50% of all vitiligo patients show their first symptoms before the age of 20, and cases beginning in childhood are not unusual.

In young children and adolescents in particular, segmental vitiligo confined to one area is reported relatively often; as described above, this form tends to progress briefly in the early stage and then stop. In adults, the non-segmental form with patches appearing across the body is more common, but ultimately the underlying pathology of vitiligo does not differ greatly by age.

Vitiligo is a classic autoimmune disease. That is, it arises when an abnormal immune response causes the body to recognize part of itself as an enemy and attack it. For this reason, vitiligo patients often have other autoimmune conditions as well, or family members who do. The association with autoimmune thyroid disease (such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease) is especially strong — about 20% of vitiligo patients are reported to also have a thyroid condition.

It also tends to co-occur with autoimmune conditions such as alopecia areata, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. Because genetic predispositions often overlap, particular immune-related genes may be found in vitiligo patients, and several autoimmune diseases may appear within a single family. Patients diagnosed with vitiligo are therefore advised to check periodically for other autoimmune conditions (for example, with thyroid function tests).