white skin patches

[momto2]

Hello everyone. I was wondering if anyone has experienced a sudden onset of white patches on skin? My 40 y/o brother has white patches on his neck that apparently came up about 2 weeks ago. He has no other symptoms except extreme fatigue. What could this be and what causes it? Any suggestions would be great.

[momto2]

Hi, My brother never actually went to the Dr. about the white patches. His places were more like a loss of pigmentation in patches around his neck. It might have been fungal in nature. It did not cause him any discomfort so he basically ignored it. I hope you get relief soon.

[JessaJ85]

I was just wondering if you found out what it is? I've been getting little tine white bumps that come in clusters on my arms and legs, they itch like mad esp at night. Savlon seems to help for up to 30 minutes then the itching starts again. can't sleep due to it, the white clsters come and go but always in the same spots.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Two possibilities are there for such depigementation.Firstly,it can be due to tinea versicolor. Tinea versicolor is caused by a fungus that lives in the skin of almost all adults. Factors that can cause the fungus to become more visible include high humidity and immune or hormone abnormalities.Treatment involves topical and oral antifungal medicines.

Second possibility is of vitiligo. It is a pigmentation disorder in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin are destroyed. As a result, white patches appear on the skin in different parts of the body. Diagnosis can be confirmed by external examination, blood tests to check skin cell count  for melanocytes and biopsy of the skin patches.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Warm regards.

[jagesh50]

Fish tapeworm,Dyphillobothrium latum can cause anaemia and white patches of vitiligio too.