Seven Vitiligo Myths

Last Updated on 8th August 2024 by Caroline Haye

Vitiligo “facts” you may want to question

The skin condition vitiligo, which results in patchy loss of skin colour, has been largely ignored and misunderstood for generations. Media and scientific interest in it are relatively recent and still in their infancy. But the times, they are a-changing. And increased awareness and new treatments are in the pipeline. So what better time is there than now to expose some of the misconceptions about this condition? What better time than now could I give you my top seven vitiligo myths?

MYTH 1 Vitiligo permanently destroys your pigment

If, like many of us, you are in the habit of googling around the subject of vitiligo you will have come across a large number of websites and articles that describe it as a condition in which white patches occur on the skin as a result of the total destruction of melanocytes. Your own doctor may even have told you this.  But, thankfully, it simply isn’t true.  Both anecdotal* and scientific evidence show that the melanocytes in vitiligo lesions skin are not absent. They are merely dormant or blocked in some way. And that they can – with the right treatment – revive.

*See Can Vitiligo Depigmentation Therapy Be Reversed?

MYTH 2  Diet has no role to play in vitiligo

This is a favourite with most doctors. The medical profession in general pay lip service to “eating a healthy, balanced diet” for general health. But doctors are nearly always sceptical about the part that nutrition can play in specific diseases. And, in my experience, any suggestion that food choices could have an impact on vitiligo is usually met with a patronising smile and a dismissive wave of the hand.  

I find this attitude totally mystifying. After all, every internal chemical and biological process of the human body relies on the fuel that we put into it. And it has been self-evident to generations of lay people that “you are what you eat”.  I can only put this complete lack of joined up thinking down to the fact that medical doctors receive very little education in nutrition. Not only that, but doctors are so influenced by the drug companies that they have lost touch with the teachings of the founding father of modern medicine. They have forgotten that Hippocrates’ motto was “Let food be thy medicine”.

MYTH 3  Vitiligo sufferers are at higher risk of developing skin cancer as a result of sun exposure

For years vitiligo sufferers have been on the receiving end of this warning. But, as it turns out, this belief was based on an assumption, not on fact. To be fair, the assumption stemmed from a logical thought process. Pigment protects the skin from sun damage. Therefore it should follow that lack of pigment will leave it more vulnerable to UV damage, including skin cancers. However, research proves that, in the case of vitiligo, the opposite is in fact true.

MYTH 4  If you have vitiligo you should stay out of the sun and/or wear sunblock

In light of the previous point, this well intentioned advice has to be open to question.  If vitiligo sufferers are less likely to get skin cancer, why is it so crucial for them to avoid the sun? And there are three additional reasons why it might be wise to ignore this advice. One is that many people with vitiligo – especially those who are also using either a topical or oral treatment – experience repigmentation when exposed to UV light. So avoiding it can be counterproductive. 

The second is that lack of sun exposure can lead to vitamin D deficiency, something that many people with vitiligo already suffer from.  

And the third is that wearing sun block can actually make vitiligo worse due to the chemical ingredients in many of these formulations.  Phenols, in particular, increase the already high levels of hydrogen peroxide present in the skin of those of the typical vitiligo sufferer.

MYTH 5   Vitiligo is a purely cosmetic problem

This opinion is yet another fiction reinforced through constant repetition. How many of us have heard it from the lips of well-meaning medical practitioners? I’m sure they think they are helping us to achieve a greater sense of proportion. After all, we are not talking about a life-threatening condition. But the fact is that for many people vitiligo is a very serious psychological and social problem. It is the cause of a great deal of anxiety for some and chronic depression for others. And, in some cultures, it can result in stigmatisation and social isolation. Not only that, but some in the scientific community are finally coming round to the view that vitiligo rarely (if ever) exists in a vacuum. It is almost always associated with other diseases. And there is good reason to think that it is itself a symptom of other underlying systemic conditions.

MYTH 6  There is no difference in texture between vitiliginous skin and normal skin

This is another assertion that can be found in numerous articles but is not necessarily borne out by experience.  I accept that there are various different types of vitiligo and my experience may not match everyone else’s. But the fact is that my white patches always “behaved” differently compared to my normal skin. For example, they had accelerated rate of skin-renewal compared to the rest of my skin. My normal skin would remain smooth and shed dead cells at the normal rate. But my white patches would develop a build-up of dead skin cells every few days. And these used to peel off quite easily when rubbed firmly with finger tips. In addition to this, an itchy, bumpy rash accompanied the onset of many of my lesions. And, in some cases, this would flare up again from time to time, even after the pigment disappeared.

MYTH 7  There is no effective treatment for vitiligo

This – I’m very glad to say – is the biggest myth of them all. There may not be a magic pill, inoculation or operation that will guarantee to reverse vitiligo, or prevent its onset. But there are many significantly helpful treatments that have emerged over the years… Either as a result of conventional wisdom, trial and error and medical research. The scientific and anecdotal evidence for this is overwhelming. And I am just one example among many of this fact.

So my message to everyone reading this is simple… When your doctor, dermatologist, best friend, newspaper or trusted website dispenses well-meaning, but depressing, advice about vitiligo, bear in mind that it ain’t necessarily so. I’m here to tell you that your dormant melanocytes are not beyond repair. What you eat does make a difference to your condition. You are not at higher risk of skin cancer than other people. You don’t necessarily have to accept what the professionals tell you about what vitiligo is or isn’t – or how yours should or shouldn’t behave. And – most importantly of all – it is reversible 🙂

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