Vitiligo? Or just normal scab behaviour. Terrified.

[Namechangenurseryconcerns]

DH has vitiligo. It really affects him and limits everyday life, especially in summer.
Currently on holiday (without him) and despite me slathering factor 50 on the kids they have developed slight tans and ds (4) has a patch of white skin on his elbow where a recent(ish) scab fell off.
It seems bigger than the scab. I am terrified that he is developing vitiligo.
DH does not discuss his condition with anyone. He hasn't had any treatment and I don't want to upset him by discussing this with him when we get home.
Am I overreacting. Please tell me scabs always leave white patches.

My dh is very dark skinned with vitiligo

Summer accentuates it as his pigmented areas darken even more

When my ds was around 2yrs, he developed white patches on his bottom (he's mixed so the areas were very obvious) after having a bad case of nappy rash some months previous. We worried so much as the depigmented area seemed to be getting bigger. Our GP referred us to a pediatric dermatologist who went over his entire body with a woods lamp. She suspected it was a fungal infection which wiped out the pigmentation in that area. She concluded it was not vitiligo as was not symmetrical (entirely). We still worried and applied a steroid antifungal for a week or two as instructed. Gradually, over time, the area is repigmenting, bit by bit. He's now 5 so it is very gradual! I've noticed other areas where he's scratched or grazed himself also stay white for some time, the area on his bottom must have been an extreme case. I'd definitely recommend seeing your GP for a referral if you are really worried.

Is vitaligo always symetrical?
My eldest has a white patche on each leg that mirror each other, I've only noticed them this yr, he is 3. (He is mixed race, but 'only' dark olive skinned.) We have vitaligo in the family, one white rel who is totally without pigment now and one mixed race who jsut has a few patches.
Can someone link the ginger vitaligo thing as we also have giners, I should chek if we have a cross over.

OP the scab thing, I totally get its a few yrs before it tans but then I find my scabs fade quite fast and disappear (I'm mixed race, so tan very fast).

Thanks. It's looking less pronounced now thank goodness. He has chicken pox scars from years ago which are still white but these didn't panic me as much as the big patch of white on his elbow.
Isnthistoonosy-no I don't think it's always symmetrical. There are different kinds.

Isthistoo generally there are 2 types of vitiligo the symmetrical (more common) and less commonly asymmetrical. I forget the technical names. My daughter's vitiligo is symmetrical except for the patches which form post injury (grazed knees etc).

Chatty - that's really interesting. I'm a redhead with it, only on one hand but GP confirmed it is

Absolute rubbish pic but the only one I can find. The line is now past my knuckles