skin disorders
Vitiligo
Introduction
Vitiligo is a loss of melanocytes that causes patches of skin to turn white. Patches of whitened skin are present on various parts of the body. Doctors usually base the diagnosis on the appearance of the skin. Corticosteroid creams, other drugs, or phototherapy plus light-sensitizing drugs may help repigment the skin, or, if needed, skin grafts may be used. (See also Overview of Skin Pigment .) Vitiligo affects up to 2% of people. The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but it is a disorder of Overview of Skin Pigment that may involve an attack by the immune system on the cells that produce the skin pigment Occasionally, vitiligo occurs after physical injury to the skin, for example, as a response to a chemical burn or Sunburn . People may also notice vitiligo is triggered by an episode of emotional stress. Immunotherapy can also trigger vitiligo (for example, for melanoma). 