How to identify vitiligo

The identification of vitiligo seems relatively simple. It mainly refers to the appearance of local white spots on the skin. Of course, the white spots of vitiligo have some similarities with some other skin diseases. Therefore, the accuracy of diagnosis is also very important. For example, it is easy to have similar symptoms to pityriasis alba and albinism. If white spots appear, you should go to the hospital for examination in time. Only through formal diagnosis can it be determined whether you have vitiligo.

How to identify vitiligo

How to distinguish vitiligo from other similar diseases:

1. Anemic nevus: It occurs in childhood and is mostly seen on the face. It is a light-colored spot. The local area does not turn red due to stimulation or friction, but the surrounding skin turns red.

2. Pityriasis alba: It is caused by fungal infection. White spots may appear after treatment, but the number is small, the shape is small, and it is not pure white.

3. Pityriasis body: mostly scaly hypochromic macules without surrounding halos of darker pigmentation.

4 Tinea versicolor: Lesions occur on the hairline, forebrain, back, and upper limbs. They are pale white round or oval spots with unclear boundaries and fine scales on the surface. Fungal tests are positive.

5. Albinism: It is a congenital non-progressive disease, often with a family history. The skin and hair all over the body lack pigmentation, the irises of both eyes are transparent, and the choroidal pigmentation disappears, making it easy to distinguish.

6. Leprosy leukoplakia: irregular in shape, incomplete hypopigmented macules with unclear boundaries, loss of sensation, and other symptoms of leprosy.

7. Secondary syphilis leukoplakia: occurs on the neck, is not pure white, and has a positive syphilis serum reaction.

8. Other diseases should also be differentiated from tinea versicolor, discoid lupus erythematosus, leukoplakia, etc.

Clinical manifestations

There is no significant difference in gender, and the disease can occur in all age groups, but it is more common in adolescents. The skin lesions are depigmented spots, which are often milky white but can also be light pink, with a smooth surface and no rash. The boundaries of the white spots are clear, the pigmentation of the edges is increased compared to normal skin, and the hair inside the white spots is normal or whitened. The lesions often occur in areas exposed to sunlight and damaged by friction, and are often distributed symmetrically. White spots are often distributed according to nerve segments and arranged in bands. In addition to skin lesions, the mucous membranes of the lips, labia, glans penis and inner foreskin are also often affected.

Most patients have no subjective symptoms, and a small number of patients experience local itching in the affected area before or during the onset of the disease. Vitiligo is often accompanied by other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes, thyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency, scleroderma, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, etc. The specific classification is as follows

Through the introduction of the above article, I believe that everyone has a certain understanding of the differential diagnosis of vitiligo. The above diseases have certain similarities in symptoms with vitiligo. Therefore, everyone should pay enough attention to it during the diagnosis process and distinguish it during the diagnosis process.