Hello.
Since I was a boy, now 25, I've had these white circles around some of my moles (two on my stomach, multiple on my back). A doctor once prescribed me Selson Blue, but that never did anything. A dermatologist later told me that I had "smart" skin! That my skin was trying to get rid of the moles-- but she didnt tell me why, and she told me that they would be gone by summer. Well, knowing that I had had them for 15 yrs now, I knew they weren't going away by summer and was unhappy with her evaluation. I also learned from her that the white skin is from there not being skin pigment there.
My questions are: What is really going on with my skin? Why is there no pigment? why was my skin trying to get rid of these "harmless" moles? Why won't any doctor ever tell me the truth or any real information????!!! (you don't need to answer the last one!)
If I use any of these treatments that I've just read about here- like the ACV, Iodine, or otc wart products, does anyone know if my pigment will return??! I have a good inch size white circle right in the middle of my stomach that I was conscious about for years, and I'd really love for it to disappear!
I've got a lot of small moles, of which most don't have the white circles.
I've also got tiny patches of no-pigment in a few other places, including one on my face which sprouts white hairs, and I have two moles on my face that grow hairs, one grows white hairs also.
Would someone please take the time to explain any of this to me.
I very much appreciate it.
Steve
Hi Steve,
What you have sounds exactly like what I have.
I have perfect white circles around my moles. (the moles are actually gone now, just white spots left) One next to my belly button, one on my chest, several on my back and one on my face (near my ear)
The biggest one is around the size of my thumb nail.
I am also 26 and have had them since I was about 14 or so.
Here's what I was told about them by my derm when they first started "popping up"
It is a skin disorder called Halo Nova, and it is a "first cousin" to vitiligo.
She didn't tell me why they popped up around moles (actually not all of them did)but she did tell me that they could be an early indicator of thyroid problems (which runs in my family - so it makes sense I guess)
She also told me to be extra super careful about being out in the sun, because the loss of pigment in my skin makes skin cancer more of a concern - the skins natural protection is no longer there.
I have no ideas on how to "fix" it. I honestly stopped caring, at first they bothered me, but now they're just a part of who I am. People ask about them in the summer time(kids especially) and I usually make up a funny lie about it (oh, bleach splashed on me... or I just dabbed on some sunscreen in places...) then I tell them the truth.
But here are my suggestions to you.
1. Get your thyroid checked
2. Always wear sunscreen! If I'm out in the sun without sunscreen, my white spots get REALLY red and sometimes swollen - that's really scary! I haven't let it happen in a very long time.
3. Go to your family doctor once or twice a year (I usually go after summer) and get your skin checked. Better safe than sorry right.
I haven't been able to find anything at all online about halo nova- the only reason I started looking is because I think my thyroid might be out of whack (her prediction came true? lol) so if you find anything out about it, please let me know. I'm sure it has a medical name, I just don't know what it is - I've moved, so I haven't seen that derm in years - or any for that matter.
Good luck!!
*Update*
I was spelling it wrong, it is spelled halo nevus or halo nevi for plural, the correct spelling has really helped my search.
I think I may have something similar. Mine first appeared when I was about 26 and moved to Australia from England. My skin suddenly started having much more sun exposure and probably about 20 moles developed a white halo on my torso. My doctor told me it was a result of the sun and my body’s defense against moles turning cancerous.
Most of the moles completely disappeared leaving white spots, the biggest being about thumb nail size. I was told that they might disappear by my doctor but it’s been 10 years and nothing really changed. I don’t have as much sun exposure these days working 9 – 5 in an office, but I just came back from a vacation in Greece where I worshiped the sun for a week and the white spots have started to reduce in size, the now brown skin around them is encroaching on the white space making them smaller. I try to ensure I use sun screen on them when I’m out but I probably wasn’t as diligent as I should be and any small amount of sun turns them red. I’m guessing the sun exposure has in some way reduced them but them I cannot condone exposing these white and unprotected spots to the sun that has obvious risks.
I’d kind of forgotten about them after their first appearance. I think the reduction in size and the inevitable questions that come when I had my top off in public recently has turned my attention to them again. I just think they are much better than having the moles that could have turned nasty. I think reading the post from That Girl has urged me to bring them up with my doctor again but I know he is going to refer me to a spendy specialist… At the end of the day they are part of me and not all that weird. If they are the worse thing I have to deal with then life is ok.
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White circles around some of my moles??? 
