Last Updated on 23rd January 2019 by Caroline Haye
Most doctors will tell you that loss of colour is the only noticeable #vitiligo-symptom. However, I always noticed that the skin on my vitiligo lesions was much more prone to natural exfoliation than the rest of my skin. If I rubbed the de-pigmented skin firmly with my hand every week or so dead skin would just slough off quite easily. I assume that this means that the skin in de-pigmented areas goes through its renewal cycle more rapidly than normal skin, for some reason, and sheds its cells faster. But this phenomenon is rarely, if ever, reported in any of the medical literature.
This sounds so bizarre that I used to wonder if it was really the case or if it might be my imagination (although I knew it wasn’t). But when I finally re-pigmented a few years ago I noticed the same thing, only in reverse. The previously white areas of skin gradually became less prone to this natural exfoliation in direct proportion to the amount of pigment they regained. And once they had returned to their normal colour they behaved in exactly the same way as the surrounding skin.
I would be fascinated to know if any other vitiligo sufferers have noticed this same skin cell behaviour… or was it just me?!
3 thoughts on “A weird vitiligo symptom that is never mentioned ”
Yes, I agree, although I think it is like chicken and eggs. The dry skin gets irritated, then rubbed /scratched, then depigmented. I notice these patches seem to shed skin very quickly /a lot and are flaky. I have found a drastic improvement in my skin since taking omega 3s and chorella and have also got freckling where doctors told me it would never happen.
That’s interesting. Thanks, E. Chlorella is one of the key ingredients in Five a Day+, so that makes a lot of sense.
Yes yes yes! My son who is 10 and has vitligo experiences this too as well as itchiness.Dermatologist does not believe me. Needless to say I have given up on the dermo and currently looking for a natural solution.