Where There Is No Doctor 2011 207
Vitiligo (White Areas of the Skin)
In some persons, certain areas of the skin lose
their natural color (pigment). Then white patches
appear. These are most common on the hands,
feet, face, and upper body. This loss of normal
skin color—called vitiligo—is not an illness. It can
be compared to white hair in older people. No
treatment helps or is needed, but the white skin
should be protected from sunburn—with clothing
or an ointment of zinc oxide. Also, special coloring
creams can help make the spots less noticeable.
Other Causes of White Skin Patches
Certain diseases may cause white spots that
look like vitiligo. In Latin America an infectious
disease called pinta starts with bluish or red
pimples and later leaves pale or white patches.
Treatment of pinta is 2.4 million units of
benzathine penicillin injected into the buttocks
(1.2 million units in each buttock). For a
person allergic to penicillin give tetracycline or
erythromycin, 500 mg. 4 times each day for
15 days.
Some fungus infections also cause whitish
spots (see tinea versicolor, on the opposite page).
General or patchy, partial loss of skin and
hair color in children may be caused by severe
malnutrition (kwashiorkor, p. 113; or pellagra,
p. 208).
MASK OF PREGNANCY
During pregnancy many women develop
dark, olive-colored areas on the skin of the
face, breasts, and down the middle of the belly.
Sometimes these disappear after the birth
and sometimes not. These marks also appear
sometimes on women who are taking birth
control pills.
They are completely normal and do not indicate
weakness or sickness. No treatment is needed.