Skin camouflage uses specialist, high‑coverage makeup to help reduce the appearance of skin differences such as vitiligo. It is not a medical treatment and does not change the condition itself. Some people choose to use camouflage to feel more confident in certain situations, while others choose not to use it at all.

Using skin camouflage is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong approach, and what feels helpful can change over time. This page explains the different ways skin camouflage services and products can be accessed in the UK.

Skin camouflage products are applied to areas of skin where pigmentation differs from surrounding skin tone. A trained practitioner will usually:

Camouflage products are often water‑resistant and designed to stay in place during everyday activities, but they still need to be removed properly at the end of the day.

Skin camouflage for vitiligo can be used alongside medical care or on its own, depending on individual preference. Anyone with vitiligo that is interested in skin camouflage can ask their health care provider for a referral to a skin camouflage specialist. Skin camouflage may be helpful if:

It may not feel right for everyone. Some people prefer not to cover their vitiligo, or only use camouflage occasionally. Your feelings may also change over time. Children and young people may be offered skin camouflage through NHS or specialist services in some areas. Any decision to use camouflage should be led by the child or young person and supported without pressure.

If your vitiligo is affecting your overall quality of life or confidence, we recommend reaching out to your health care provider about a referral.

Some hospitals with a dermatology department have skin camouflage services available. You’ll need to ask your GP, consultant or healthcare professional for your nearest service and ask to be referred. Hospitals are required to share their full list of services on their websites. Do check your closest or treating hospital.

Below are the NHS based Skin Camouflage Services we are aware are currently active. GP or Consultant referrals are required. Please note we are still in the process of confirming that these services accept referrals for vitiligo.

Availability, eligibility and waiting times vary by region, and services may change. If your local hospital is not listed, it is still worth asking your GP or dermatology team what is available in your area.

There are many private skin camouflage practitioners across the UK. We cannot not endorse or recommend individual practitioners, but we have listed some available services across the UK. Prices typically range from around £50 to £80 per consultation.

At a consultation for skin camouflage, a trained skin camouflage practitioner will discuss with you which product may be best suited to your skin and your lifestyle, and empowers you to make choices. The practitioner will apply a very small amount to your vitiligo, and if this is not acceptable to you, it is removed and another one applied, until you decide which one you prefer.

Application techniques are then discussed; once your preference is known, the practitioner will demonstrate that application process (including setting the camouflage with loose powder) to a small area of your vitiligo. You will then be invited to demonstrate back that you understand the application and removal processes, including hygienic practices.

The consultation will also include on how to manage your camouflage during wear, what may go under and over the set camouflage, and how to quickly and effectively remove it each night. The practitioner will advise on how to obtain your selected camouflage and any applicator that you need to use.

Usually an instruction sheet to remind you of the consultation is handed to you to take away. The sheet will include the camouflage products’ brand name, colour code and quantity needed. Your consultation may take up to one hour, one visit is usually sufficient but you may need another should there be a seasonal alternation to the colour of your unaffected skin.

If you want to attend a free NHS clinic, then your medical adviser (Dermatologist, GP or Nurse) will need to refer you to the hospital clinic. You can refer yourself to a private clinic, but you may have to pay a consultation fee.

Skin camouflage products recommended for you during a Skin Camouflage Service appointment are usually available on prescription. At the end of your appointment, you’ll receive a “prescription request form”, which you should discuss with your GP.

Whether or not your GP can routinely prescribe products may be determined by your local NHS integrated care board (ICB)  if you live in England, or your local NHS Health Board if you live in Scotland. It can be helpful to speak to your GP to explain how skin camouflage products support your mental health and wellbeing.

In some cases, a GP may complete an Individual Funding Request (IFR) for the products, even if they are not routinely prescribed where you live. Brands currently available on NHS prescription are:

Skin camouflage products are available to purchase from the internet and over the counter in department stores, supermarkets and chemist shops. Ideally skin coverage products should be viewed in natural daylight to be able to properly see the results.

Many people use skin camouflage for vitiligo as a practical, reversible way to manage appearance day to day. Vitiligo camouflage application should be quick and easy to do – as simple as A B C! It should only add just a few minutes to your usual hygiene routine.

For hygienic reasons, it is recommended that camouflage is removed daily and the skin is cleansed, but camouflage products can be immediately reapplied. There is no current evidence that skin camouflage creams encourage spots or damage the skin.

Do you need camouflage to have a semi matte or glossy finish to last throughout the day? Are you having trouble getting your camouflage to stay on? Try a fixing spray (available from theatrical suppliers) such as Kryolan’s Fixier. If you set your camouflage first with powder, the Fixier will increase its stability.

You can use these sprays as a skin primer and then apply your camouflage, or apply your camouflage in the normal way and then double-set it with the spray. Always follow manufacturers’ instructions, as a rule of thumb never aerosol the face directly, always spray into your palm and pick up the product with a non-latex wedge and pat it to where it’s required (you can spray directly onto limbs and trunk). However, fixing sprays usually give the camouflage a semi-matte finish (subsequent layers will increase this to full gloss). If you don’t want a natural sheen, then simply re-powder over the fixing spray.

Another good skin primer is Kryolan’s Invisible Matte (available as a spray, gel or creme) applied under the camouflage. This product is available from theatrical make-up shops. Invisible Matte is also used for anti-shine; the gel and creme being applied under the camouflage with the spray being applied over the top of camouflage.

An alternative to using Invisible Matte, try a setting powder that is not talc or mineral based such as Kryolan’s Anti-Shine powder (rice based) which is available from theatrical make-up shops. Some of the loose face powders which are made from cornstarch and nut kernels, available from most chemists and supermarkets, also work reasonably well at keeping the camouflaged area matte.

You should remove your skin camouflage each day, this will enable you to inspect for any changes to your skin and to apply sunblock, moisturiser or medication.

Soap and water (or a soap substitute, such as a cosmetic cleansing lotion) are used to effectively and quickly remove your camouflage on a daily basis. Apply and remove the cleansing product in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.

Skin camouflage is usually considered to be waterproof – which means you may get wet without it washing off. However, no product should be considered fully rub-proof – so you will need to pat dry (not towel rub) your skin after swimming, or showering after exercise.

Camouflage is difficult to remove from head-hair, so care needs to be taken when working close to the hairline. It is easily brushed off from facial hair (eyebrow, beard, moustache) and hair to limbs and body.

Check out our video of Nina Brown, Camouflage Practitioner & Beauty Therapist, talking about the different vitiligo camouflage and coverage techniques available:

We’ve included some other methods of skin camouflage for vitiligo below:

Some people choose to use foundation makeup as a softer alternative to specialist skin camouflage, particularly if they are looking to make vitiligo slightly less noticeable rather than fully covered. This can work especially well for people with fairer skin tones, where colour‑matching is often more straightforward. Many department stores and high‑street retailers in the UK, such as Frasers or Boots, offer colour‑matching services that can help find a shade that feels natural and comfortable. Foundation can be a good option for younger people who may be starting to feel self‑conscious about their vitiligo, as well as for anyone who prefers a lighter feel and wants to avoid the heaviness of camouflage creams. Like all approaches, it’s simply another choice — and one that can be used as much or as little as feels right.

Another common question we see asked is “will spray tan cover vitiligo?” Fake tans change the colour of the outermost layer of the skin. They can be used instead of skin camouflage, or in addition to it, on different parts of the body.

Fake tans have some advantages over skin camouflage:

However, fake tans are not usually able to provide a perfect match with your own skin colour (unlike skin camouflage). They are not available for all skin tones as there is no fake tan yet to match dark brown skin. It’s also important to note that fake tans are not available on prescription.

We recommend following the instructions on the product, but in general the following steps will ensure that you get good results:

You can also seek out a local beautician to apply fake tan. Your high street beauty salon may provide this service, which will include a patch test for colour outcome and test for allergic reaction. The fake tan is usually applied using an air-brush in a well ventilated room, or manually (as mentioned above).

A firm called Magic Styl’o produces a semi-permanent, water-based pen which can be used for colouring small areas of skin or hair, for example on finger tips, lips or eyebrows. The pens are easy to use and, like fake tans, the colour does not rub off.

There is a range of colours available, including three different shades of brown, but you are unlikely to get as good a colour match as you can with camouflage.

In the UK these products are obtainable from Dawn Cragg at:

St Michael’s Place
58a Bridgegate
Retford
Notts
DN22 7UZ.
Tel: 01777 860500
Email: dawn@dawncragg.net

More information is available on their website: Click Here

Tattooing means injecting a colour into the dermis – as such the dermis encapsulates the product to prevent it migrating through the skin to the lymphatic system before being expelled by natural bodily function.

Insurance will be invalidated if a patch test is not undertaken each time a tattoo is created. Tattooing is not suitable for everyone, nor is it advisable over all skin conditions.

Medical Tattooing is usually undertaken within a hospital or clinic environment by a medical professional who is highly trained in this specialism. Medical tattooing is required for the purpose of reconstruction, such as creating a patient’s areola following a total mastectomy, or replacing brows and lips that have been removed due to surgery or an accident.

Medical Tattooing should not be confused with Micropigmentation and Permanent Makeup undertaken in a salon or clinic by highly trained technicians for their client’s elected cosmetic reason, such as creating a fashionable brow, or lipstick colour to the mouth, or to change the colour an areola. The above technicians will use inks that are semi-permanent, which differ considerably from tattoo inks used by decorative tattoo artists.

At present tattooing is a self-regulated profession, unfortunately the inks used are not judged to be medical appliances and are therefore outside medical regulations; neither are they considered to be cosmetics because they are inserted into the dermis and therefore are outside cosmetic and toiletry regulations.

All tattoos will fade when exposed to sunlight over time. Semi-permanent inks can last up to about a year before the need to re-tattoo.

It is essential that medical tattooing is done by a specialist technician who is well trained and has experience.

Airbrush foundation products can be considered as highly pigmented liquids that set matte on the skin (no need to powder) but more importantly can be used without the airbrushing equipment.

However, you will need to work quickly as they are set almost on contact with the skin (the silicone based products allow slightly longer setting time). You can mix two colours together (decant into a clean container) to create a more acceptable skin match.

These products are easy to apply using a cosmetic sponge, but clean fingers do just as well. Fixing sprays can be applied over the top, and will give semi-matte to gloss finish too. These products are available from theatrical retailers, some department stores and beauty salons — best to practice on non-visible areas first!

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