Heal House Vitiligo Research 20 · Letter
Can a mask cause vitiligo?
Contact vitiligo induced by rubber ear loops from a disposable sanitary mask
Last reviewed
In short
This is a case of contact vitiligo where white patches appeared on the skin touched by the rubber ear loops of disposable masks. Certain chemicals in the rubber can damage pigment cells.
One day, a middle-aged woman came to us with vitiligo that had developed from her ear to her jawline. The pattern of onset was unusual. On questioning, she said she had started wearing a mask half a year earlier when she began working in the grocery section of a supermarket. The location of the white patches exactly overlapped the path of the mask's rubber ear loops. So I carefully examined the relationship between the area touched by the mask elastic and the lesion location.
Q1 Can white patches appear where a mask’s elastic bands touch the skin?
Yes, it can happen, though rarely. Rubber products contain various chemicals for elasticity and durability. Some of these can be harmful to the pigment cells in our skin. When rubber containing such substances repeatedly touches the same area, the pigment cells in that area can be damaged, causing the skin to lose color and turn white. This is called contact vitiligo or chemical leukoderma. In this case, the patches appeared exactly where the disposable mask's rubber ear loops touched, clearly showing the cause. So if you have white patches of unclear cause that appear only where a specific object touches, it may help to suspect contact with that object and avoid it.
Closing remarks
Although a small case, it reminds us that the cause of white patches can unexpectedly be hidden in everyday items we use. Stopping contact with the causative substance early can prevent further spread and aid recovery. This case shows why it is important to ask in detail when a patient started using what. In this era of prolonged mask use, I believe it is meaningful to document a cause that could easily be overlooked.
