White Skin Spots

White skin spots appear when the skin loses its color. This might happen due to any number of external issues, or can happen due to genetic changes in the body. Basically, white skin patches are patches of skin without pigmentation. They appear on hands, feet, on face and in some cases, on different parts of the body. Some of these spots could be big, while some could be small white skin spots. Appearance of such spots is a cause of concern which should not be ignored. There are several reasons for white skin spots on skin and these spots can be treated in a number of ways. Let us look into these in detail.

Possible Causes of White Skin Spots

As mentioned earlier, there are a number of causes of white spots on skin, a few of them have been briefly described below

Vitiligo
Vitiligo, or leucoderma, is one of the common conditions that cause white spots on the skin. It is a type of skin disorder related to loss of pigmentation, where the skin loses its color and leaves behind white patches. The loss of color is the result of a loss in melanin which is responsible for giving the skin its color. The vitiligo condition is characterized with sun burns, which results in white skin spots from sun and white patches on different parts of the body. Experts have not yet determined the exact causes of vitiligo; they say that it could be hereditary, or caused due to emotional stress, or due to any physical illnesses. Environmental pollution could also be one of the causes of white spots on skin. This is not a contagious problem nor is it dangerous, however, it is recommended that the person should consult a dermatologist for correct diagnoses and timely treatments.

If a person is suffering from vitiligo, it is recommended that he/she should try to relax, should avoid citrus and sour foods, should avoid hard soaps, creams and lotions and should stop the consumption of salty foods during the treatment. There are plenty of leucoderma cures that you can follow at home too. There are many other ways of how to get rid of white spots on skin that you can follow.

Tinea Versicolor
Tinea versicolor is a type of fungal infection. Let us look into the skin fungus and white spots relationship. It is a superficial yeast infection which produces white skin spots which cannot be removed easily. The fungus which causes this skin disorder is called Pityrosporum orbiculare, which is present in small amounts on the surface of the skin. The number of this fungus increases in the summer months due to high amount of humidity in the air. In such a climate this fungus intervenes with the functioning of melanin, and causes white skin spots. Some people may also have white spots on arms due to this disorder. People with oily skin are at a higher risk of contracting this disorder along with young adults. This type of disorder is very common in countries with tropical climates and can be seen in people of all the age groups.

The dermatologist will be able to give the right treatment for tinea versicolor which may involve the use of topical creams, ointments, shampoos, soaps etc. At times, oral medications might also be needed. It is also recommended that people suffering from this disorder should wear light colored, thin cotton clothes so that they do not sweat much, as sweat encourages the infection. A dermatologist will also prescribe creams and other forms of medication, in order to avoid a relapse of skin discoloration.

Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis
Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis is a type of genetic disorder which is the result of a disruption in the pigmentation process. When the thickness of the skin reduces, the melanocyte cells are reduced from the skin. This cause small white spots on skin and in some cases also causes white spots on lips. This leads in idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis condition. This condition becomes more obvious when the skin becomes dark due to tanning, and experts believe that this condition is responsible for white spots from tanning. People with fair skin have higher chances getting white skin spots than people with dark skins. This disorder is not contagious, but it is better to get it diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist.

There is no fixed treatment for this condition. Topical steroids could be recommended by the dermatologist. If the person can afford, then surgical removal of the spots is also an option. Covering the area with makeup is another non surgical option. However, experts say that this condition is mainly a result of being overly exposed to the sun and hence, while going out in extreme sun, appropriate precautions should be taken.

Pityriasis Alba
A common skin condition in children, pityriasis alba is a chronic skin disorder. Children suffer from white skin spots on face. These white spots on face are dry and scaly. This skin condition is the result of sub normal functioning of melanocytes. The other contributing factors may be heat and humidity. Use of moisturizing creams is advised by dermatologists to reduce these spots, and in severe cases, laser treatment might become necessary.

I hope this article on white skin spots has been informative. These white spots are not contagious. However, it is always beneficial to get them diagnosed correctly by a dermatologist and get these treated on time. Timely treatments will avoid possibility of these spots spreading throughout the body.