White Spots On Face

  Fashion, Beauty and Health 

            
What is white spot on face?


 The appearance of white spots on the skin is a common problem. However, the causes of these white spots may vary. White spots may be cased due to yeast infection or it may be the leucoderma or vitiligo.
   
                         
leucoderma

White patches on the face are a characteristic symptom of a disease known as leucoderma. In the literal sense, the term leucoderma means white skin. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma attached with this condition and it is often confused with leprosy. Although leucoderma does not harm the skin in any manner, it does cause the skin to lose its color in patches, therefore revealing white patches. This condition is caused due to the loss of the skin coloring pigment known as melanin. In certain parts of the skin, the melanin producing glands, known as melanocytes, may begin to malfunction, because of which there is loss of melanin in a lot of areas of the skin.


Symptoms of leucoderma

The problem usually starts with a small white spot and later on it develops into patches. These patches are pale in the beginning but become whiter and whiter as time passes due to loss of pigment. As spots enlarge, they merge into each other and, in course of time, form a very broad patch. In some cases, most of the skin of the body may be covered with white patches. The spread of the disorder is usually slow and progressive. Symmetrical appearance on both the sides of the body (say, on the legs, hands, etc.) is common. In rare cases one finds vitiligo spreading all over the body.

The disease may stand out because of its typical appearance. However, it is neither dangerous, nor contagious. Leucoderma does cause the loss of color from several portions of the skin; however it does not cause dry skin patches on the face. Usually, the condition begins as a small patch, but quickly spreads to other parts of the body. Very soon, the symptoms of leucoderma can be seen all over the body of the patient. Although there have been numerous studies on the condition, the cause of leucoderma has not yet been ascertained. If you are experiencing white patches on your face’s skin, it can usually be attributed to leucoderma.

Who is affected by Leucoderma

The Leucoderma is a common disease. About nearly half of those who develop Leucoderma do so before the age of twenty and about 20 percent of those affected have a family of the same pathology. Most of the affected population with Leucoderma are in good condition overall.

Leucoderma affects both sexes and all races and equally and 95 percent of its patients are below the age of forty. As for the concern with inheritance, Leucoderma may or may not be hereditary.

Vitiligo

Vitiligois a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin, the tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose and genital and rectal areas (mucous membranes), and the retina of the eyes are destroyed. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo may turn white.

The cause of vitiligo is not known, but doctors and researchers have several different theories. One theory is that people develop antibodies that destroy the melanocytes in their own bodies. Another theory is that melanocytes destroy themselves. Finally, some people have reported that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress triggered vitiligo; however, these events have not been scientifically proven to cause vitiligo.


What Are the Symptoms of Vitiligo?

People who develop vitiligo usually first notice white patches (depigmentation) on their skin. These patches are more common in sun-exposed areas, including the hands, feet, arms, face, and lips. Other common areas for white patches to appear are the armpits and groin and around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, navel, and genitals.

Vitiligo generally appears in one of three patterns. In one pattern (focal pattern), the depigmentation is limited to one or only a few areas. Some people develop depigmented patches on only one side of their bodies (segmental pattern). But for most people who have vitiligo, depigmentation occurs on different parts of the body (generalized pattern). In addition to white patches on the skin, people with vitiligo may have premature graying of the scalp hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard. People with dark skin may notice a loss of color inside their mouths.

Who Is Affected by Vitiligo?

About 1 to 2 percent of the world's population, or 40 to 50 million people, have vitiligo. In the United States, 2 to 5 million people have the disorder. Ninety-five percent of people who have vitiligo develop it before their 40th birthday. The disorder affects all races and both sexes equally.

Vitiligo seems to be more common in people with certain autoimmune diseases (diseases in which a person's immune system reacts against the body's own organs or tissues). These autoimmune diseases include hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), adrenocortical insufficiency (the adrenal gland does not produce enough of the hormone called corticosteroid), alopecia areata (patches of baldness), and pernicious anemia (a low level of red blood cells caused by failure of the body to absorb vitamin B12). Scientists do not know the reason for the association between vitiligo and these autoimmune diseases. However, most people with vitiligo have no other autoimmune disease.

Vitiligo may also be hereditary, that is, it can run in families. Children whose parents have the disorder are more likely to develop vitiligo. However, most children will not get vitiligo even if a parent has it, and most people with vitiligo do not have a family history of the disorder.