Leukoplakia
Also called: smoker's keratosis
Thickened, white patches inside the mouth.
- Treatable by a medical professional
- Requires a medical diagnosis
- Lab tests or imaging rarely required
- Medium-term: resolves within months
Most leukoplakia patches are noncancerous, but some show early signs of cancer. They may be caused by tobacco products.
Thickened, white patches form on the gums, the insides of the cheeks, the bottom of the mouth, and, sometimes, the tongue. The patches can't be scraped off.
For most people, stopping tobacco or alcohol use clears the condition. In rare cases when patches are persistent, surgery can remove them.
Common: More than 200,000 US cases per year
Consult a doctor for medical advice
Sources: Mayo Clinic and others. Learn more
People also ask
Why do I have a random patch of white skin?
Vitiligo. In people with vitiligo, white skin patches appear in places where the cells that make skin pigment, or color, have been destroyed. Researchers are not sure what causes vitiligo. It may be an autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly harms healthy cells.
How to get rid of idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis?
Treatment options:
1
Cryotherapy — 5 second, single session, repigmentation visible by 4 months.
2
Topical treatments — topical steroid, tacrolimus, topical retinoids.
3
Procedural treatments — chemical peel, excimer laser, skin grafting.
Can idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis turn into cancer?
Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) is a benign, typically asymptomatic, leukodermic dermatosis of unclear etiology that is classically seen in elderly, fair-skinned individuals, and often goes unrecognized or undiagnosed. Occasionally, IGH is aesthetically displeasing. However, it is not a dangerous process.
Can white patches be cancer?
Reassuringly, white spots on skin are rarely an indicator of skin cancer. Rather, the symptoms are predominantly associated with the condition of Vitiligo. This is a non-life threatening condition, that primarily affects cosmetic views, rather than a sufferer's health.
Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis (IGH) is a benign and asymptomatic skin manifestation characterized as diffuse hypopigmented macules, or white spots.
Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis is a common acquired form of leukoderma that presents as small flat pale or white spots on the sun-exposed limbs.
Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH), is a benign skin condition characterized by the presence of many round or oval hypopigmented patches.
Jan 20, 2020 · Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin that causes white spots. It's pretty distinctive and is frequently diagnosed by a dermatologist simply by looking ...
Jan 15, 2019 · The answer is E: vitiligo. Vitiligo is characterized by asymptomatic, acquired, amelanotic macules and patches that are milky or chalk-white in color.
Apr 19, 2023 · Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) appears as small white spots on skin. It affects areas that receive high amounts of sun exposure, such ...
Jan 17, 2020 · Small white spots on arms, or “reverse freckles” are a benign skin condition called idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.
Apr 27, 2021 · Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis The cause of IGH is unknown, though factors such as chronic sun exposure and genetics may play a role. People ...
Leukoplakia is a condition that creates white patches on your tongue, gums or the inside of your cheeks. The patches don't hurt but they don't go away.
Missing: idiopathic | Show results with:idiopathic
Jun 12, 2024 · The presence of white sun spots on the skin is clinically known as idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH). IGH is a benign skin condition considered a cosmetic ...
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