Vitiligo in Children

Frequently asked questions

What is vitiligo in children?

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition where your child’s own immune cells attack and destroy melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin (the skin’s pigment). In this skin pigment disorder, the lack of pigment creates distinct white or milky patches on the skin. It affects close to 1 percent of the pediatric population, or 1 in 100 children.

What causes vitiligo in children?

Vitiligo can run in families, but a genetic link is not necessary. People with vitiligo often have a personal or family history of autoimmune disease, such as thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, and/or alopecia areata. Vitiligo is also caused by environmental or unknown factors. Not knowing why your child has vitiligo can be frustrating, but please know that you as a parent did nothing to trigger it.

Are the white patches present at birth?

No, not typically. Vitiligo’s first onset is usually later in childhood, before the age of 20.

Where does vitiligo typically occur on a child’s body?

Vitiligo can be anywhere on the body, and it varies from child to child. Some children lose pigment all over, while others have a few localized white patches or even such small patches that they go undiagnosed. It can also change the color of hair and mucosal areas, like the inside of the mouth.

What are the symptoms of vitiligo?

There are usually no symptoms that accompany vitiligo. Symptoms accompanying vitiligo are rare; sometimes patches can be itchy.

Can vitiligo be cured?

Currently, there is nothing in the medical world that will 100% cure vitiligo, but at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Pediatric Dermatology, we do have treatments that help bring color back (see below). We cannot shut down the autoimmune process to keep new patches from developing, but we are able to treat individual patches with varying success. Certain areas are easier to treat (like the face) than others (like the hands and feet).

Is there anything I can do to help improve my child’s vitiligo, diet or otherwise?

At this time, there are no known dietary changes that improve vitiligo. We recommend focusing on feeding your child a healthy diet and making sure they have an appropriate level of vitamin D, a helpful vitamin for re-pigmentation. Also, without melanin your child’s white patches are more susceptible to sunburns and skin damage. Make sure to protect these areas from the sun.

How can I help my child cope with vitiligo?

Some children with vitiligo may feel uncomfortable in social situations. Patients with vitiligo may experience psychological stress, depression, or anxiety. Your support in helping them gain confidence and see vitiligo as just one aspect of who they are is important. There are dolls and books that you can use to teach your child about vitiligo, and we use them for our pediatric patients. If you would like to connect with other children with vitiligo and their families, we invite you and your child to join our Pediatric Vitiligo Support Group at Stanford.

How is vitiligo treated at Stanford Children’s?

We are committed to providing the very latest treatments for vitiligo. Our dermatologists have expertise in vitiligo management and are actively researching new, promising treatments for vitiligo. We tailor our care to your child’s specific needs.

• We typically start with anti-inflammatory creams and ointments, such as topical steroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors. An exciting nonsteroid topical medication, a Janus kinase inhibitor, is showing good results in adding pigment back to white patches. This medication is FDA-approved and safe for children ages 12 and up.
• We also use narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) light therapy to boost your child’s treatment response and laser treatments to stimulate melanin.
• We can use oral steroids to halt disease if vitiligo is rapidly spreading.
• Stanford Children’s is a very active research site. We can provide your child with access to clinical trials of new vitiligo treatments as they become available.
• We take a comprehensive approach to ensure the overall health of your child by considering related autoimmune conditions and arranging for screenings if needed. We make sure your child is receiving the safest and most effective treatment for their age.
• We support older teens as they transfer from pediatric to adult care.