#1 ·
Hey there,
I couldn't find any existing threads about this, so I figured I'd start my own.
My son is 13—and just a quick note, I’m posting this under General Health rather than Pediatric Health because, honestly, I don't think age is really the defining factor here. We hadn't noticed anything unusual before, but this year, once we started hitting the pool and spending time out in the sun, I spotted these pale patches on his arms (mostly around his fingers) and some smaller spots on his feet. It turns out I have a couple of little spots on my own palm too, maybe covering about a square centimeter total. His patches are definitely larger than mine.
Anyway, we took him to see our pediatrician, who told us it looks like skin depigmentation and suggested we follow up with a dermatologist sometime in September.
I wasn't actually at the appointment—my wife took him—but from what she described, the doctor didn't seem particularly concerned or even alarmed by it. That's what has me thinking, though. Is depigmentation really that harmless? He’s already gotten quite a tan, which makes the white spots stand out more. Should we be applying sunscreen specifically to those pale areas since they lack the natural pigment to protect themselves?
Does anyone know how you even go about treating depigmentation?
I couldn't find any existing threads about this, so I figured I'd start my own.
My son is 13—and just a quick note, I’m posting this under General Health rather than Pediatric Health because, honestly, I don't think age is really the defining factor here. We hadn't noticed anything unusual before, but this year, once we started hitting the pool and spending time out in the sun, I spotted these pale patches on his arms (mostly around his fingers) and some smaller spots on his feet. It turns out I have a couple of little spots on my own palm too, maybe covering about a square centimeter total. His patches are definitely larger than mine.
Anyway, we took him to see our pediatrician, who told us it looks like skin depigmentation and suggested we follow up with a dermatologist sometime in September.
I wasn't actually at the appointment—my wife took him—but from what she described, the doctor didn't seem particularly concerned or even alarmed by it. That's what has me thinking, though. Is depigmentation really that harmless? He’s already gotten quite a tan, which makes the white spots stand out more. Should we be applying sunscreen specifically to those pale areas since they lack the natural pigment to protect themselves?
Does anyone know how you even go about treating depigmentation?