What is white spot disease? The shocking truth

Leukoplakia and vitiligo are similar, both are skin diseases. Sometimes a white spot will appear on our body, but not many. This may be vitiligo, which mainly occurs in the neck, face, hands and other parts of the body.

(1) Tinea versicolor: In infants and young children, pale white spots often appear on the cheeks, forehead and between the eyebrows. Because the surface is frequently scrubbed and scales are not easily attached, it is very easy to be confused with early vitiligo and should be paid attention to.

(2) Simple pityriasis: More common in children, prone to occur on the face, round or oval, often with 1 to 3 hypochromic spots, the lesions are pale white or grayish white, covered with a small amount of bran-like desquamation, with unclear edges and no peripheral pigmentation. There may be slight itching, which is more common in spring, but can also be seen in early summer or winter.

(3) Mottled disease: It is an autosomal dominant genetic disease. The skin lesions are present at birth, most commonly on the forehead, accompanied by white hair. The white spots are often triangular or diamond-shaped. Rashes may also occur on the chest, abdomen, and proximal limbs. The size of the lesions does not change with age. Some patients may also have other developmental abnormalities.

(4) Non-pigmented nevus: It occurs at birth or shortly after birth and is a clearly depigmented spot that persists throughout life. Histopathology showed normal or decreased number of melanocytes and normal size and function of melanosomes.

(5) Idiopathic guttate hypopigmentation and senile vitiligo: The former is multiple, clearly demarcated, round or polygonal white spots with a diameter of 2 to 6 cm, commonly seen on the forearm and extensor side of the calf, and the number increases with age. The latter is common in the elderly, mainly seen on the chest, back, and limbs. They are bean-sized round white spots that are slightly sunken, scattered, and not fused.

(6) Leukoplakia: Vitiligo on the labial mucosa and perineum is often mistaken for leukoplakia. Mucosal leukoplakia often appear as reticular stripes or flakes, are white keratotic lesions, and are often extremely itchy. Vitiligo is only a loss of pigmentation, the epidermis is normal, and depigmented lesions can often be found in the adjacent skin or other places.

(7) Anemic nevus: Localized hypopigmented spots, not depigmentation. The disease occurs since childhood and has no tendency to expand. When the skin lesions are rubbed vigorously, the local area does not turn red, while the surrounding normal skin turns red.