Vitiligo
is a chronic skin disease characterized by loss
of pigmentation.
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Vitiligo is felt to
be caused by a combination of autoimmune,
genetic and environmental factors. |
| • |
The population incidence
in the United States is between 1% and 2%.
|
| • |
The onset of vitiligo
is often before age 20. |
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Depigmented patches
of skin may grow or remain constant in size.
Small areas may repigment as melanocytes (pigment
cells) migrate into depigmented areas from
cells that are part of hair follicles. |
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Vitiligo can have a
significant effect on psychological well being,
especially in skin of color, because the contrast
between pigmented and depigmented areas can
be drastic. |
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People with vitiligo
may feel depressed because their appearance
has changed dramatically. |
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Repigmentation therapies
to remove the white patches include corticosteroids
(topical and intralesional), calcineurin inhibitors,
ultraviolet light, and skin “transplantation”
procedures. |
| • |
Light treatments include
narrowband ultraviolet-B light (NB-UVB), psoralen
plus ultraviolet-A photochemotherapy (PUVA)
or UVA-1 therapy. |
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