Does anyone know if Vitiligo is sometimes part of Lyme? Over the last 3-4 weeks my daughter has acquired numerous patches of unpigmented skin over her face and stomach. At first I thought it had something to do with sunscreen application, but the areas on her stomach are covered by her swimsuit and she doesn't apply sunscreen there. Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks!
Posted by SuZ-Q (Member # 5903) on :
Anybody out there had a similar experience? Would love to hear your comments. Thanks!
Posted by sickoflyme (Member # 5461) on :
My husband started with this skin pigmentation problem aboiut ten years ago. No one in his family ever had it as far as we know. He is 100% Swedish. Ny one son started with it about 3 years ago, and his daughter who is 8 has it on her legs, just showing up this year. They all are very fair skinned. Michael Jackson also has it and was treated with something to bleach his skin so that is why he loks so white. There is also a treatment which involves medicine and sitting in the sun. I have met one other woman who had it. I don't know if Lyme is involved as I am the only one with Lyme. Be sure to use sunscreen always as the pigmneted skin will darken and the white won't so the contrast increases. Good Luck! Jane
Posted by SuZ-Q (Member # 5903) on :
Thanks so much for your responses!! She is confirmed to have Lyme and Bartonella and I guess I was wondering if there is a conection. I had never heard of Vitiligo as a symptom of Lyme. At her last LLMD appt. the bloodwork showed high anti-thyroid antibodies which I see from cave's info sometimes goes along with the Vitiligo. We're going to the LLMD on Monday and an endocrinologist in a couple of weeks, so maybe they can help shed more light on the subject. Thanks again for your replies!!!!
Posted by Angus (Member # 45814) on :
Hi,
Ive had vitiligo for about 20 years, since i was about 12 years old. i have had no development of the patches for about 10 years until a month or two so ago, where another developed. (i probably have mild hyperthyroidism tho this is has not been diagnosed by a medical doc).
re; lyme - i just got it froma tick bite 4 weeks ago (a few weeks after the latest vitiligo patch). but it seemed to develop symptons unusually fast - since i got on the abx's within a day of the rash.
i have been thinking about a connection also, but so far, it obviously seems like 2 random events... perhaps already having an autoimmune disorder means i am pre-disposed to contracting lyme after exposure. i am intrigued whether the large amount of detoxing etc will do anything to the vitiligo.
re; vitiligo treatment - the western approaches are a waste of time imho, i.e. psoralen etc. i chose a chinese skin specialist - and boiled up foul smelling herbs for months, to no avail! (even chinese docs say there is only a 10 - 20% chance of success). it seems to be both impossible to treat, and there is no indication of why it occurs.
re; sun exposure - it does burn more easily, but i have not experienced any long term bad results of sun exposure, even when i have accidentally burned. also, i read somewhere there is no greater chance to develop skin cancer on the patches etc - due to the lack of melatonin - which is comforting.
angus
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Well, think you can add me to the list of lymies with white spots on skin, have been coming on in the last year or less. I also have thyroid autoantibodies, brought on by lyme in my opinion. Just no end of fun things that come along unexpectedly with this. And my hair is falling out AGAIN (round #8 in last 6 yrs).
Posted by Biting Back (Member # 6018) on :
This is a photo of my back in 2003. I can't say with any degree of accuracy whether or not it is vitiligo. However, my girlfriend has it and mine looks quite similar.
The interesting thing is that most of the pigment came back after antibiotics. I still have very tiny spots all over my back where I'm depigmented, but it currently looks nothing like the photograph below.
Good luck!
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Whew, that is bad! Encouraging that it can get better.
Don't understand why I am just now getting this, after so long with the disease and a lot of treatment.
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