Just realised that the area on my elbow which had scarred from repeated astroturf grazes* is completely pigment free and the patch of white skin seems to have got bigger in the last 12 months.

Am going to head off to the doc, but wondered if anyone had any experiences/knowledge?

(I’m a mid-30s walking health disaster zone!)

*used to be a hockey player – spent 20 years with scabby knees/elbows/knuckles

What’s that got to do with Biking?

You get realy good sunscreen on prescription

My old landlords handyman had stared life black but was now patchwork black and white

Its what Micheal Jackson claimed to have

It’s just scar tissue surely?

When you say walking health disaster zone, do you mean ‘hypochondriac’?

Most commonly grows a bit, then stops.

Rarely it can continue to grow until big patches are pigment-free.

Physically harmless but can be mentally traumatic and lead to the sufferer dreading summer as 1) they’re more prone to burning and 2) the pigmented skin tans so the vitiligo becomes increasingly obvious and they have self-confidence problems.

No effective treatment but light therapy may help. I’m not a sufferer personally but, in the experience of the sufferer I know (sample of 1 in West Yorks), the NHS doesn’t deal well with it.

Edit: referral to a specialist dermatologist can help to show the extent of it – uv light can show where pigment is being destroyed but isn’t yet visible in daylight.

I have a patch of it on my elbow…the only way in which it bothers me is that I have to keep it covered up when the sun is shining. I could use strong sunblock but it’s not worth getting it burnt. I’ve never been much of a sunbather anyway. I always wear 3/4 length tops for biking, then I don’t have to worry about it.
Like mentioned above, it can respond to light therapy but it’s not guaranteed. I think you can go to Switzerland and get pigment injections but these often don’t work either and they’re not cheap. Anyone who is self-concious about theirs can get cover up makeup on the NHS I think? It’s a few years since I looked into my options, maybe things have moved on?

Yes, wrong forum, and now too late.

Relevant to biking, though, as riding in short sleeves shows a big white patch around/next to my elbow.

Will have a chat to GP and see if I can get a referral. With luck it won’t get any bigger….

As above, camoflage cream is ok but getting colour matches can be hard as your skin changes colour through the year and isn’t all the same colour anyway.

Apparently it can be linked to other autoimmune problems – if you have one (eg hypothyroidism) the likelihood of having others increases.

thanks teaboy

And as for you, binners, what are you trying to cover up? 😉

glitcheroo