Vitiligo is a skin condition in which there is a loss of brown color (pigment) from areas of skin, resulting in irregular white
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Vitiligo appears to occur when immune cells destroy the cells that produce brown pigment (melanocytes). This destruction is thought to be due to an
Vitiligo may appear at any age. There is an increased rate of the condition in some families. The condition affects about 1 out of every 100 people in the United States.
Vitiligo is associated with three other autoimmune diseases:
Addison's disease Hyperthyroidism Pernicious anemia
Review Date: 09/11/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; and Roy Colven, MD, Dermatologist, Associate Professor of
Medicine, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle,
Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
