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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Medical history and exam
If your doctor suspects you have vitiligo, he or she will ask about your medical history and examine you. Important factors in your medical history include:
- A family history of vitiligo or an autoimmune disease
- A personal history of sun sensitivity or other skin conditions
- A rash, sunburn or other skin trauma within two to three months of the start of pigment loss
- Premature graying of the hair (before age 35)
- Stress or physical illness
Your doctor will also examine you to rule out other medical problems or skin conditions, such as dermatitis or psoriasis.
Skin biopsy and blood draw
Along with gathering your personal and family medical history and examining your skin, your doctor may also:
- Take a small sample (biopsy) of your affected skin
- Draw blood to check your blood cell count, thyroid function and to look for the presence of anti-nuclear antibodies (a type of autoantibody) that would indicate an autoimmune disease
Additionally, your doctor may recommend that you see an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for an eye examination to check for inflammation in your eye (uveitis).
- Halder RM, et al. Vitiligo. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2972969&searchStr=vitiligo. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Vitiligo. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_vitilgo.html. Accessed March 5, 2009.
- Questions and answers about vitiligo. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Vitiligo/default.asp. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Goldstein BG, et al. Vitiligo. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 4, 2009.
- Faas L, et al. In vivo evaluation of piperine and synthetic analogues as potential treatments for vitiligo using a sparsely pigmented mouse model. British Journal of Dermatology. 2008;158:941.
- Whitton ME, et al. Therapeutic interventions for vitiligo. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008;59:713.
- Parsad D, et al. Effectiveness of oral Ginkgo biloba in treating limited, slowly spreading vitiligo. Clinical Experimental Dermatology. 2003;28:285.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 17, 2009.
- Lotti T, et al. Vitiligo: New and emerging treatments. Dermatologic Therapy. 2008; 21:110.
