Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that affects as many as 1.8% of people across the United States, which is about 6 million Americans and around 70 million people across the globe. Though there are various types, vitiligo is a skin condition that causes pigment loss, causing the skin to appear lighter than the original skin tone. In affected areas, the hair on the body may turn silver or white, and the patches may spread across the body. The condition occurs due to a loss of the body’s melanocytes, which give the body a certain pigmentation since they produce melanin.
There are various types of vitiligo: generalized, segmental, mucosal, focal, trichome, and universal. Generalized vitiligo is the most common type of the disease that causes patches of the disease less than 1 centimeter wide. Segmental vitiligo is a type of the disease that affects a singular part of the body. Mucosal vitiligo affects the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals. Focal vitiligo is a more rare type of the disease where patches less than 1 centimeter develop in a small portion of the skin and don’t spread. Trichrome vitiligo causes a bullseye effect on the skin, with a white center, a lighter area of pigmentation, and finally an outer ring of the natural skin tone. Finally, universal vitiligo is also a rare type of the disease which affects 80% of the skin and makes it lacking pigment.
Vitiligo affects a wide range of people, usually before the age of 30, and is more visible in people with darker skin tones. People with certain diseases, such as thyroid and addison’s, may be at higher risk of developing the skin disease. The cause for the disease, however, is unknown. Scientists and researchers understand that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system believes that the melanocytes are foreign, and therefore, attack the pigment molecules, but exact mechanisms are still unknown. Moreover, it is understood that a genetic mutation could also result in changes to the melanocytes’ function in the body. Additionally, stress and environmental triggers (like ultraviolet radiation) may also play a role in the development of the disease.
Though no exact cure is known for vitiligo, treatment options are available and seeing a dermatologist is crucial. A certified doctor may use a specific lamp called a Wood’s lamp that uses UV light to help identify the disease. Then, once the development of the disease is confirmed, a doctor may prescribe medications, light therapy, depigmentation therapy, surgery, and/or counseling. In these ways, the vitiligo disease can be combated, but a perfect cure is not yet known.
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