What is Vitiligo?
 

Vitiligo is a genetic and autoimmune skin disorder in which skin loses its natural color due to lack of pigmentation.

Vitiligo usually develops before age 40, and people suffering with this disorder develop white and irregularly-shaped patches on different skin areas.

It can change the color of hair and eyes, and white patches can also appear inside the mouth. Individuals with vitiligo are more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer, hair loss, eye problems, and psychological distress.

Although the exact etiology of vitiligo is still largely unknown, destruction of melanocytes, cells that produce melanin, a dark pigment responsible for skin color, by the body’s own immune system is considered to be the main cause of vitiligo.

However, it is believed that, except for attacking melanocytes, vitiligo-affected people have otherwise healthy immune system.

Moreover, vitiligo may co-occur with other autoimmune disorders, such as hypo- or hyper-thyroidism, diabetes, adrenocortical insufficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, and pernicious anemia. Other triggering factors include sunburn, environmental or industrial chemicals, and stress.

Vitiligo is also considered as a genetically transmitted disorder. Studies have identified that NALP1, a protein coding gene that encodes a protein related to apoptosis, plays an important role in developing vitiligo. However, despite having a genetic linkage, only 5-7% of children are likely to get vitiligo even if one of their parents has it.

Vitiligo is neither contagious nor life-threatening. However, the condition is often stressful, and people may undergo serious depression in some of the worst cases.

Depending on the locations of patches on the body, vitiligo can be divided into three main categories:

  • Generalized vitiligo, in which patches appear on many parts of the skin.
  • Segmental vitiligo, where patches appear only on one side of the body.
  • Localized vitiligo, in which patches appear on a confined skin area

The diagnosis mainly depends on evaluating patient’s medical history as well as their family history of vitiligo incidents.

Skin biopsies and blood tests are also needed in some cases to determine the co-occurrence of other autoimmune disorders.