Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary disorder of the skin, characterized by hypopigmented macules & patches on various parts of the body.
It is a progressive disorder in which melanocytes of the affected skin are selectively destroyed, resulting in subsequent hypopigmentation.
Vitiligo affects approximately 0.5 to 2% of the population.
The usual age at onset is 20 years.
Even though the exact cause of vitiligo remains unknown, current evidence suggests an autoimmune origin.
Patients with vitiligo have circulating antibodies against melanocyte proteins.
In addition, many autoimmune diseases are linked to vitiligo, including Hashimoto thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Addison disease, diabetes mellitus, alopecia areata, pernicious anemia, psoriasis, and autoimmune polyglandular syndrome.
Patients with vitiligo typically present with asymptomatic, milky white colored lesions.

These lesions are well-demarcated and can be round, oval, or linear in shape.

Hair in the affected region may be white, which is known as leukotrichia.

Face, neck, forearms, feet, dorsal hand, fingers, and scalp are the commonly affected sites.

On the face, lesions tend to be distributed in the periocular & perioral regions.

Lesions may also occur in regions frequently subjected to trauma, such as bony prominences, elbows, and knees, which is known as Koebner phenomenon.

Various types of treatment options are available for vitiligo.

Some of these include phototherapy, laser therapy, medical care, and surgical care.

For patients with lighter skin, no intervention may be needed.

Instead, protection from sunlight may be the best option to avoid the surrounding normal skin becoming tanner, making the lesions prominent.

Medical care of vitiligo includes topical steroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus.

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