If your dermatologist has diagnosed you with vitiligo, you’ve likely noticed your skin losing color in some places. However, this isn’t the only symptom that can go along with a vitiligo diagnosis.

If you want to understand more about what you could experience with vitiligo, here’s what you need to know. Once you know what symptoms are possible, you and your dermatology team can keep an eye out for them and choose treatment options as needed. You may need extra medical appointments to monitor different areas of your health.

1. Changes to Your Skin

The main symptom of vitiligo is patches of skin that lose their color, or pigment. This is called depigmentation. It happens because the body attacks melanocytes. These cells produce melanin, which is what gives your skin color. This can happen for a number of reasons, including genetic causes, environmental triggers, and autoimmune conditions. It’s important to know that people with vitiligo are at greater risk of having autoimmune conditions.

Skin that has lost pigment usually looks significantly lighter than the skin around it. It may be more noticeable on darker skin, since there’s more contrast between the pale skin and the normal skin tone.

The skin without pigment may also look pink if there happen to be blood vessels beneath it. Occasionally, your lighter patches may get inflamed and look red, or have extra pigment and look darker than your normal skin tone.

The places where you lose color in your skin are called patches if they’re larger than 1 centimeter and macules if they’re smaller than that. The edges of these areas may be either irregular or smooth. Most of the time, the affected skin will feel like your other skin and will have the same sensations, too.

You can get vitiligo anywhere on your body. Vitiligo usually first appears on the face, feet, hands, or arms. You may also see it on your:

• Mouth (inside and out)
• Around the eyes
• Genitals and surrounding area
• Armpits
• Neck
• Knees
• Other mucous membranes

Vitiligo can start with small white patches that spread over time. It usually remains in the same locations, but the areas affected in those locations can get bigger. When it’s actively spreading, you may experience itching.

The lighter areas of skin don’t usually cause discomfort. However, the pale patches of skin are more likely to get sunburned. Sunburn can be painful, so make sure you use extra sunscreen on pale skin. You should also avoid tanning beds.

The affected areas of the body are often symmetrical, meaning they show up the same way on both sides of the body. Depending on the type of vitiligo you’re living with, though, you may only see white patches on one side.

2. Changes to Your Hair

If there is hair growing out of an area affected by vitiligo, that hair may lose its coloring, too. It may turn gray, white, or silver. This can affect you anywhere you have hair, including on the top of your head, beard, eyelashes, eyebrows, and more.

If only part of an area where you have hair is affected, it may look like you have light colored streaks in that hair. Some people choose to dye the lighter hair to match the rest, while others choose to embrace the multicolored look.

3. Inflammation in Your Eyes

Some people living with vitiligo find that it affects their eyes. The part of your eye that senses light is called the retina. Vitiligo might cause some abnormalities in your retina. You may also have changes in the color of your eyes if vitiligo affects the pigment there.

Sometimes, vitiligo can lead to inflammation in the eye. This can happen either in the middle part of the eye, in which case it is called uveitis, or in the iris, in which case it is a specific type of uveitis called iritis. Most of the time, this won’t affect your vision. However, it’s a good idea to get your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) to make sure. If they find a problem, they should be able to help you treat it so it doesn’t lead to lasting damage to your eyes.

4. Hearing Loss

Vitiligo can also lead to hearing loss. It may seem surprising, but the same types of cells that give your skin color are also in your inner ear. If your body attacks these cells, you may not hear as well as you used to.

Somewhere between 12 percent and 38 percent of people with vitiligo have hearing loss. However, many don’t know that they aren’t hearing as well as they used to. If you have vitiligo, it’s worthwhile to get your hearing checked so you can get the appropriate treatment.

The Emotional Cost of Vitiligo

Emotional or psychological challenges aren’t symptoms of vitiligo, but they often go along with having the condition. Many people feel embarrassed or self-conscious about the changes to their skin, particularly when those are very obvious or on their face. They may not want to answer questions about their skin or feel like people are staring.

This can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Others may feel like they need to hide. This can lead to isolation. It can also cause people to avoid certain clothing or some situations, like swimming, because they don’t want people to see their vitiligo.

If you feel like vitiligo is having a negative effect on how you feel about yourself, your quality of life, or anything having to do with your sense of well-being in the world, talk to a healthcare provider. They can help you get the psychological care you need to feel confident in your skin, no matter how it looks.

Find Your Team

MyVitiligoTeam is the social network for people with vitiligo. On MyVitiligoTeam, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with vitiligo.

Have you been diagnosed with vitiligo? Which symptoms do you experience? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.