Are white spots on baby's skin vitiligo?

Recently, many people have said that white spots of different sizes have appeared on their arms and necks. They think this is caused by vitiligo and are very scared. In fact, vitiligo has regular patterns and is not of varying sizes, and the above-mentioned conditions are not necessarily caused by vitiligo. At the same time, if you want to find out whether the white spots are vitiligo, it is best to go to the hospital for examination, so that we can be prepared.

How to identify whether white spots are vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a common acquired localized or generalized skin depigmentation disease. Modern medicine believes that it is caused by the disappearance of the function of melanocytes in the skin. It is necessary to distinguish whether the white spots are caused by vitiligo.

The white spots caused by pityriasis alba are mostly seen in children and teenagers. They feel a little rough to the touch and mainly occur in the summer, especially after swimming, and sometimes after inflammation. Pigmented nevi usually occur at birth or shortly after birth. The white spots can expand proportionally with the development of the body and are often distributed along the nerve stages. They are mostly strip- or band-shaped on the limbs and square-shaped on the trunk. This is a more obvious feature. White spots caused by skin aging mostly occur in people over 40 years old, usually in exposed parts of the skin. The diameter of the white spots is relatively small, usually the size of a mung bean, and no larger than the size of a peanut.

What are the common characteristics of white spots on the body caused by vitiligo?

The incidence rate of vitiligo is approximately 0.5-2%, with no gender difference. In terms of the age of onset, more than half of the patients will first develop the disease before the age of 20. In terms of the color of white spots, the white spots caused by vitiligo are white from the beginning of the onset, and the degree of whiteness is relatively dark. In terms of the time of new onset and recurrence, there is a small peak around the Qingming Festival, which is related to the increase in outdoor activities and the increase in ultraviolet rays.

Who is prone to vitiligo?

For children and adolescent patients, there are some common characteristics among the affected population: relatives have a history of vitiligo; they have allergic constitutions; they have already developed alopecia areata; and they have halo nevi. If your child shows any of the above symptoms, parents should pay attention. For patients with vitiligo who develop the disease after the age of 20, doctors often ask them to undergo thyroid function tests. This is because many patients suffer from thyroid diseases. This test can help doctors determine whether vitiligo is related to the thyroid gland and provide symptomatic treatment. In addition, vitiligo caused by rheumatic diseases, work pressure, etc. is also common.