Replied by Kyle (Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan) on 02/12/2012
Kellie, your boyfriend should have a doctor examine him to verify that it isn't anything serious. I think he'll probably get a diagnosis of vitiligo. I am 41. My vitiligo started in my 20s, but it was on a part of my body that most people would never see. So I didn't care. (Neither did my wife. ) But in the last couple of years the white patches came out on my fingers and hands. They grew until they covered, say, 1/4 of my hand area. After some research I got a copper bracelet with strong little magnets implanted. Cost about $25. My white patches started filling in with my normal skin tone. It was fairly quick, but also very gradual. About 6 weeks after wearing my bracelet, one of my students blurted out (in the middle of a lesson) "What happened to your hands! ?" She meant, where did the white patches go? Three months on, and my hands (and privates) are normally pigmented. Also, my blood pressure is lower. And my arthritis is about 97% better. Copper deficiency seems to have been the problem. Absorption through the skin was my solution. Vitiligo can be a blessing because copper deficiency can also result in higher risk of stroke, so I'm glad to have found the problem and dealt with it early. 25 bucks, cheap!Replied by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 02/12/2012
Kyle, I was thinking this sounded a copper deficiency as well. White/gray hair is a sign of copper deficiency. Copper is very hard to find in our diets. Try and find copper supplements in health food stores.
I might start wearing a copper bracelet to bed each night and see what happens. I wonder if wearing a copper pendant would be beneficial as well.
Replied by Tom (Tampa, Fl/usa) on 02/14/2012
I developed a white spot on my back that ended up covering 1/2 of my back over a 3 year period. I was given a sulfur/copper based lotion to apply morning and night. Within 2 months or so all my color returned and I've never had it return. I was in the military at the time and the doctor said it was a fungus under the skin that destroys the pigment. I returned home after 4 years and my sister had developed the same problem from getting sun burned. Her's was across her whole back and was starting up her neck. I was able to go to the store and find a product off the shelf and she used it and it all went away. But I'm sorry I don't remember the exact name. It was a yellowish orange heavy liquid in a 4/5in tall dark orange plastic bottle. It smells very bad, just what you would expect from liquid sulfur.Replied by Mrs A (Towson, Md) on 07/07/2012
TO KYLE, WHERE DID YOU BUY COPPER BRACELET? THANKSReplied by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 10/29/2012
Not sure if Kyle responded, but I got a copper bracelet at Amazon.com.Replied by Terri (Tampa, Fl) on 12/16/2012
To Tom from Tampa -- do you remember the name of the store in Tampa where you bought the sulfur/copper based lotion for your vitiligo? Thanks!
