Vitiligo

Description

A long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It's caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin. Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck, and hands, and in skin creases.

Common Symptoms

• Patchy loss of skin color
• Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
• Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of your mouth and nose (mucous membranes)

Common Causes

• It occurs when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin. It's widely considered an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the melanocytes.

Treatment Information