Skin condition spreading across my back?!


Question:

Skin condition spreading across my back?

I am a 22yr old caucasian female - light-medium toned skin. For a couple of years now after getting a tan - when I would start to lose the color it appeared as if it was uneven - my back looked like it had peeled after sunburn (though it had not) Now, It seems to be spreading (it used to be just upper back) now I have White spots/splotches all over my back and the back of my arms (some on my chest as well!) They are a little but itchy sometimes, but not raised or red at all. Please help me with a solution to fixing up this problem!


Answers:

--See a dermatologist. It could be vitiligo, a vitamin B deficiency, zinc or mineral deficiency, autoimmune issue, pernicious anemia, a fungal infection, etc. A little scraping of the affected skin looked at under a microscope or biopsied and sent to the lab would give you a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan. The dermatologist can do that. Most family doctors would refer you out to a specialist unless the problem leads to a no-brainer diagnosis. For skin issues, see a skin specialist.
-- If you do a search on "hypopigmentation" and look at respected websites like WebMD, MayoClinic, or go to the American Dermatology Association you can get the facts and a better idea of what is going on. WebMD has a symptom checker that is often useful in narrowing down the possible causes of symptoms, helping you know what to say when you see the doctor.
-- If you are not taking a multi-vitamin with B vitamins and iron, you could start now and take it with orange juice to help absorption.
--Vitiligo in itself is harmless, but is more noticeable when you are tan because the affected areas do not tan, meaning that when your skin is tan the hypopigmented areas are more visible.
--Even though vitiligo in itself is harmless and the cause is not known, it is associated with other issues such as anemia that can cause problems, so it is worth seeing a dermatologist so they can give you a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.

--Don't worry, but don't ignore it either. Good luck. Hope this helps.




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