You might be surprised at how many people have white spots on their face, at some point in their lives. It’s a much more common issue than people think, although they may surprise you if you develop them. The causes range from leukoderma to a yeast infection or vitiligo.
Before you’ll be able to have the white spots properly treated, you need to know the cause behind them. The white spots may be surrounded by white rings, and this is sometimes caused by a hormone imbalance, stress, environmental factors or other medical issues.
White spots on the face may be a minor issue or a major one, depending on their size and extent. If you wake up some morning to find that you have developed white spots, whether mild or severe, you should consult with your physician to have the underlying problem diagnosed, and then properly treated.
Even people who have had no previous skin problems may notice white spots on their faces. They are quite often harmless, and there are various reasons as to why they may appear. The white spots will generally cover the majority of your skin on your face, or wherever else they develop.
White spots can also cause itching or irritation. So how will you know if it’s something you should worry about? Can they be treated? There are plenty of treatments available for white spots on face, but they depend on the causative agent. As soon as you learn the cause, you can determine the proper treatment.
What Causes White Spots on Face?
White spots appearing on the face may occur for a variety of reasons. When you understand the reasons, that knowledge is beneficial so that you can treat the condition. In addition, when you know the cause, it will help you to avoid the circumstances that increase your risk for further spots.
This skin condition will result in a loss of pigmentation in the skin. It causes white patches that will feel like they are part of your skin. There is no one clear cause of vitiligo, although it’s believed that it is an autoimmune disease.
Mild skin trauma can cause any skin area to react, including the skin of the face. Vitiligo can affect not just the face, but also the hands, feet, genital areas and elbows.
- Tinea Versicolor
This fungal skin infection is chronic. The fungus creates discolored skin patches as it is interfering with normal pigmentation. The patches of skin may be lighter or darker than the skin that surrounds them. In addition to facial infection, it often affects adolescent males, on their trunk and back.
Exposing yourself to humid and hot weather and sunlight may exacerbate the condition, as will excessive sweating and oily skin.
- Pityriasis Alba
This condition of the skin is most common in children between the ages of 6 and 12. It’s a type of rash that generally appears on their arms and neck, in addition to the face. It doesn’t look a great deal different than normal skin. Sometimes the rash is covered with skin flakes that resemble dust.
The precise cause of Pityriasis Alba isn’t known, although it is sometimes considered to be a type of eczema. It can also be confused with vitiligo. The way to tell them apart is that vitiligo spots have distinct borders and Pityriasis Alba rashes do not.
- Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis
This skin condition is sometimes responsible for white spots on your face. It results in white spots that are flat and 2-5 mm across. It’s also common on the arms and shins. Fair-skinned people are more likely to be affected, although it does occur in some dark-skinned people, too. White spots are typically seen more often in people who are 40 years of age or older.
Treating White Spots on Face
The proper medical treatment for facial spots is entirely dependent on the underlying cause. There are things you can do to attempt to hasten the process of treatment, to improve your facial appearance. The first ideas are home remedies, while the rest are medical treatments.
Home remedies for white facial spots can be found, and there are some that will help regardless of the cause. Other medical causes require specific home treatment.
For vitiligo, you can consume ginger juice. It promotes improved blood flow. You can also apply neem seed oil to the areas that are affected, to bring about beneficial results.
Pityriasis Alba may not require treatment, but applying hydrocortisone creams and moisturizers can help in the treatment of the patches and spots.
Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis is sometimes left untreated, since it’s harmless. If you want to accelerate the healing of the spots, retinoids and topical steroids might help.
You can treat Tinea Versicolor if you exfoliate your face and wash it with mild soap at least twice a week with a paste made from sandalwood powder, turmeric, rice and honey.
Vitiligo is a skin condition that is difficult to treat. However, various treatment options have shown promise. They include depigmentation, photo therapy and skin grafting.
Anti-fungal lotions and creams like miconazole and clotrimazole may be helpful in treating Tinea Versicolor.
Physicians will sometimes prescribe corticosteroid ointments or creams and topical medications like Oxsoralen, to hasten the clearing up of the spots or patches.