Vitiligo spreading without trigger

I have had vitiligo for 13 years now and I haven't had that many issues when it comes to it spreading as it has only ever caused a new patch once every few years or so. However, in the last year I had two new patches spread to my face, and today a tiny patch has appeared on my face again. I have always been told that stress is the trigger of vitiligo spreading, but I don't feel stressed at all! I'm now all settled in my first job and doing well, yet my vitiligo has spread again. Does anyone have any other ideas of what could cause the vitiligo to spread apart from stress because it's confusing me so much. Thanks for any answers people could give me!

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Replies

  • Hi Amy I have noticed that diet does okay a role. Avoiding junk food does help.
    • Hello Mona,
      I didn't know about this so thank you for letting me know! :) I do eat far too much junk food to be honest so I need to cut that down, and if it will help my Vitiligo I will definitely try
      • • Suggestion for a single day:

        → Breakfast: Coconut milk, 2 slices of gluten-free bread with tahini, 1 banana and/or 1 apple.

        → Lunch: Gluten-free rice, black beans, wild caught fish, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, backed sweet potato, and olive oil.

        → Snack: Coconut milk, 2 slices of gluten-free bread with organic honey, and a green juice (kiwi, spinach, celery, collard, watercress, and kale).

        → Dinner: Gluten-free brown rice, green beans, hormone-less chicken, carrots, lettuce, pumpkin, and olive oil.

        → In-between: A lot of water (mineral, spring, purified). Avoid tap water since it may contain chlorine, fluoride, etc.

  • Hi,
    It's very encouraging to know your point of view regarding the superficial nature of Vitiligo. Your acceptance of it as a part of you and courage in taking it head on is very admirable. Even though I myself am struggling with it and doing everything possible to prevent it from spreading.
    Is Vitiligo an isolated auto-immune defect or is it the result of an autoimmune mutation common to other conditions of which Vitiligo is one? I don't know the answer. If the answer is the first then leaving it as it is not a bad idea but if it's the later then it will not be just a superficial problem and we must do something to prevent future debilitating conditions which may arise later along with our Vitiligo. I personally think it's the later and view the little bird nest forming on top of my head as something related to my Vitiligo. :) Hoping to scare off both those birds with some pills and a wand.
    • Hello there :)
      Thank you so much for your kind comments, I personally hope that there will be a day when everyone with vitiligo can be accepted and accept it themselves as its uniqueness is what makes me so happy to have it. I myself had a period of time where I tried to stop it from spreading between the age of 8-12 but I've now learnt to accept it :)
      I honestly have no idea whether it is solely vitiligo that is caused by the genetic mutation or if the mutation is linked to other auto-immune disorders, but I hope it's just vitiligo alone rather than other diseases linked to it. I believe that hyperthyroidism and vitamin deficiency are relatively common with vitiligo sufferers but as for any other conditions, I haven't looked into it yet though I will start looking now.
      Have a good day and thank you so much for replying!
      • Amen to what you have said about acceptance of our uniqueness by everyone. We must all feel comfortable with how we are and it must not bother us and others in our daily lives. Our own acceptance and of the world of which we are a part of is the first and foremost prerequisite before anyone decides whether he wants or not to get treatment for his/her Vitiligo.
        What I understand about Vitiligo is that it can be caused by various causes. But ultimately by whatever factors it has first arisen the end result is genetic mutation of some sort in our DNA. This acquired genetic mutation not only causes Vitiligo but is common to and also makes us susceptible prematurely to other conditions like Iritis (eye problems), hairfall (alopecia ), hypothyroidism, celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
        Since this genetic mutation is an acquired one therefore it is theoretically reversible and hence the common conditions which are caused by it are theoretically treatable.
        However, since we all are still here my theory must surely be wrong somewhere. Or maybe finding the right treatment is difficult because DNA of every person is unique and therefore the mutation caused must be slightly different from person to person. Therefore, the treatment too must be such that is given for a particular 'individual' according to his/her particular DNA profile.
        Recently I started taking Boost supplement it supposedly helps in Vitiligo and has Cyanocobalamin form of Vitamin B12 in it. But after a couple of days of taking it I started to feel drained and my legs felt I was carrying another person on my back. This was not supposed to happen as afterall I was taking Vitamins and I was supposed to feel more energetic even if it didn't help my Vitiligo. Then I looked into it and found that the form of Vitamin B12 I was supposed to take was Methylcobalamin and not Cyanocobalamin, while Boost had Cyanocobalamin. And this Cynacobalamin was only creating an overload in my system without getting absorbed in my body. This is also due to a particular mutation in people with Vitiligo that Cyanocobalamin form is not absorbed.
        In US ( not sure about the rest of the world) there are doctors who give treatment according to a particular DNA profile of a person and based on it advice supplementation to cure the main cause and the resulting mutations. In India sadly there are no such doctors, there are a few practitioners who call themselves functional medicine doctors. But when I put a question to them if they will look into my DNA before deciding upon a treatment plan they have no answers.
        So as there are no definitive answers for now I am just trying whatever I feel I must do or can possibly do to prevent the spread of Vitiligo and stop my hairfall problem.
        Hopefully we all don't let our conditions affect us emotionally and it just remain a physical thing .
        Thanks. You too have a nice day!
        Best Wishes for Xmas.
        • Thanks for the info Saurabh. I am looking into taking Vitamin B12 and will take your information into consideration.
        • * Genetic mutation whether 'acquired' or 'Hereditory' once having occurred cannot be reversed.
          (correction)
  • Hi Amy,

    Your question is very appropriated.

    There are 2 things that should be clarified, as follows: (1) trigger vs (2) cause.

    1) Triggers are severe events that awake the genetic pre-disposition to have vilitigo.  Some trigger examples are: severe emotional or psychological trauma, severe skin sun burn, severe friction, severe chronic allergy, chemical intoxication, etc.  If you have vitiligo, it means that the trigger has already been pulled.

    2) Causes are systematic events but not necessarily severe.  The main ones, in order of relevance, are:

    1-Physical traumas ⇒ friction, injuries, itches, scratches, allergies, sun burns, impacts, violent moves, hits, punches, kicks, etc.

    2-Oxidative stress ⇒ food allergy, poor diet, leaky gut and dysbiosis (parasites, candida, h-pylori, yeast, fungus, etc.).

    3-Stress hormones ⇒ generated by psychological and emotional systematic stress.

    So, you have to fight all 3 causes at the same time.  In my opinion, you should follow a Functional Treatment that covers everything.   That's a good measure to stop vitiligo from spreading.

    More details at:   http://www.vitiligomap.com/protocol.html

    • Thank you for explaining the difference between the two :) I'm not looking for any treatment as I have gotten used to my vitiligo now and I never cover it up, and I never will get treatment even if it gets really severe. It just striked me as strange that it has spread with no cause
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