Vitiligo:

Vitiligo is a chronic depigmenting skin disease where patches of skin (mostly hands and face but may be elsewhere) develops. The lesions are not painful, but become most noticeable in the summer when the normal skin surrounding the lesions becomes tanned. The disease is a self reactive immunological (autoimmune disease) directed against the enzyme and related protein that causes melanin (pigment) to form in the skin. Dr Maclaren’s group was one of the first to document the above. Vitiligo is a component of autoimmune poly-glandular syndrome type-2 or APS-2, and as such, 50% of patients with vitiligo have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s and Graves’ diseases) too. The greater the area of skin involved then the greater the chance of having a related endocrine disease. Less common associations are Addison’s disease, pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency), and type-1 diabetes.

Psoriasis:
This is a scaly inflammation of the skin which like vitilgo is an autoimmune disorder which is however not part of APS-2. The lesions are chronic and predominate on knees, elbows and scalp. The Clinic has had success with a novel approach to this distressing problem which can be discussed at the visit.