Vitiligo
| Vitiligo | |
|---|---|
| Non-segmental vitiligo of the hand | |
| Pronunciation |
|
| Specialty | Dermatology Immunology |
| Symptoms | Patches of white skin[1] |
| Usual onset | Childhood, young adult[1] |
| Duration | Long term[1] |
| Causes | Unknown[2] |
| Risk factors | Family history, other autoimmune diseases[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Tissue biopsy[3] |
| Treatment | Sunscreen, makeup, topical corticosteroids, phototherapy[2][3] |
| Frequency | 0.1–2.1%[4] |
Vitiligo (/ˌvɪtɪˈlaɪɡoʊ/, vi-ti-LEYE-goh) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color.[1] The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but it may be related to immune system changes, genetic factors, stress, or sun exposure, and susceptibility to it may be affected by regional environmental risk factors, especially early in life.[5][6][7] Treatment options include topical medications, light therapy, surgery and cosmetics.[6] The condition causes patches of a light peachy color of any size, which can appear on any place on the body; in particular, nonsegmental vitiligo, the common form, tends to progress, affecting more of the skin over time.[8][9] Vitiligo spots on the skin can also vary in pigmentation over long periods, although they will stay in relatively the same areas.
- ^ a b c d James WD, Elston D, Treat JR, Rosenbach MA, Neuhaus I (2020). "36. Disturbances of pigmentation". Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (13th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier. pp. 871–874. ISBN 978-0-323-54753-6.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Lancet2016was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c "Questions and Answers about Vitiligo". NIAMS. June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ Zhang Y, Cai Y, Shi M, Jiang S, Cui S (2016). "The Prevalence of Vitiligo: A Meta-Analysis". PLOS ONE. 11 (9): e0163806. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1163806Z. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163806. PMC 5038943.
- ^ "Vitiligo – Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Vitiligo Symptoms, Treatment & Causes". NIAMS. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ Silverberg J, Reja M, Silverberg N (December 2014). "Regional Variation of and Association of US Birthplace With Vitiligo Extent". JAMA Network. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Prevalence of Vitiligo Among Adults in the United States". National Library of Medicine. PMC 8600454.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Vitiligo". Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 24 May 2025.