Hay You Doctors Out There - Any Cure for Vitiligo?

[M.D. Holloway]

Noticed some discoloration on my arms - white patches. Went to the Dermatologist and he said it was Vitiligo. The immune system is attacking my pigment cells. Could stay like that or spread. Nobody knows what the cause is I guess. Got some lotion to use (at $50/tube) and the only other thing to do is to bleach it all out a la Michael Jackson - don't think I'll be doing that. I guess my genetics want me to be white and stay that way.

So - whats the scoop?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

time to get some sleeves, dude.

[M.D. Holloway]

then its gonna be a hot summer

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

ink sleeves

[M.D. Holloway]

I guess I will have to go serious ink now...

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Im already half there.

[Moses]

Topical steroids work sometimes. I think a lot of dermatologists are using PUVA treatments, but they can cause problems.

What's wrong with being...patchy?

[M.D. Holloway]

If that is the only worry, nothing at all. My wife doesn;t care and I am no longer cat'n around so unless it become a hidious sore like cluster I really don't care much. It would bother me if my face got patchy though - I guess I am a little vain

[red-beard]

You're a mess!

And you wasted you 5000th post on this?

[M.D. Holloway]

I'm saving my best post for 7777! 5000 is just 64.3% there!

And yes, I am a mess - plagued with silly deformities that only malign 2% of the population and really are of no significance. As my Wife puts it “if that’s all you have to worry about consider your self damn fortunate!”

[nostatic]

maybe i have different white patches (mine are small), but my doc said they were sun damage...that the pigment had been fried. Too many years in the surf and on the bike. Solution? I sunscreen pretty much all the time and try to wear light long sleeve shirts in the sun (DE's are a natural for me )

[JeffO]

My vitaligo keeps spreading and I tried all the creams out and nothing helped. It is not just a matter of looks but of protection. My affected areas burn with hardly any time in the summer sun. Please be careful when outside. LL Bean has some nice long sleeve shirts that are cool in the heat while giving 40 to 50 upf. In clothing its upf for ultraviolet protection factor. Also know that a heavy exposure to sun can accelerate the spread.....Good luck....jeff

[artplumber]

Mike,
Very little seems to help last time I looked. There's an association with other autoimmune disorders eg/thyroid disease. Of course it's most noticeable in people "of colour" or areas which are more pigmented naturally.

I think you should buy a single glove and one of those jackets with all the zippers!

[M.D. Holloway]

JeffO - I use SPF45 when outside now - all over exposed areas. I won't be sporting the tan I normally get anymore but it is better than a leopard pattern!

Peter - being an autoimmune disorder, is there any other problems or is it pigment cell specific?

(BTW-I think I will pass on the glove and zippers but I do like the Fadora!)

[JeffO]

Rush Limbaugh lost his hearing because of an autoimmune disorder. His immune system attacked the folicles of the very tiny hair that assists in sound wave transmission.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
...
Peter - being an autoimmune disorder, is there any other problems or is it pigment cell specific?

(BTW-I think I will pass on the glove and zippers but I do like the Fadora!)

Vitiligo is melanocyte (there's your word for the day) specific. However, there are a lot of cross overs as many disorders have autoimmune components. Low thyroid function and diabetes come to mind when discussing common concurrent illnesses with vitiligo.

But can you moonwalk while eating a moose steak?

[M.D. Holloway]

no but I can Tango while dining on Caribou!

[artplumber]

Don't tell me any (True) Lies! (that rhyme needs some work)

Ahh, Tia Carrere...

[M.D. Holloway]

Remember the opening scene of True Lies? The part where Arnold is outside this really swank mansion in the winter? That mansion has the admin build of the college I went to as an undergrad.

Just a lil LubeMaster trivia for ya!

[M.D. Holloway]