What Causes White Patches Of Skin The Leg And White Eyelashes?

Posted on Tue, 17 Apr 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 Answered on

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, on my leg I have a white patch of skin, of which the hair growing is also white. On one of my eyes the corner of the eyelashes is also white hair. I also have a small white streak in my hair and was wondering what's causes this. Also next to the white patch on my leg I have a mole, which is surrounded by a slightly darker pigmentation and was also wondering if this looked normal. Thank you :)

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (29 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Maybe vitiligo

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

It is possible that it may be due to vitiligo which is a condition that cause depigmentation of the skin and hair.

The exact cause is not known though there are different theories.

It can be linked to other conditions such as thyroid disease, Addisons etc, in some persons.

It is also possible that the change is not due to vitiligo but related to another cause such as -(1) fungal infection (2) scleroderma (3) Addison's disease (4) a benign condition called pityriasis XXXXXXX (5) as a result of trauma

It would be best to see a dermatologist to determine the exact cause of the lesions.

Hope I have answered your query.

Regards,
Dr. Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar