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Vitiligo
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Vitiligo is a skin disease in which color is lost. It is chronic, meaning it lasts, and acquired, meaning you are not born with it. What happens is that the melanocytes, the cells of the epidermis that make the pigment that gives skin its color, are progressively destroyed.
And they are not destroyed at random. It is a targeted attack: the immune system recognizes the melanocyte and goes only for it. Cytotoxic CD8 T lymphocytes, the white blood cells trained to kill cells, become specific for the melanocyte, move into the epidermis and produce interferon gamma. That is why vitiligo is now recognized as autoimmune.
On the skin it looks like macules and patches, which are flat spots, some with no color at all and others with less color than normal. They have sharp borders, they do not itch or hurt, and they can appear anywhere on the skin. It affects roughly 0.5% to 2% of people worldwide.
In brief
Vitiligo is a chronic, acquired, autoimmune pigmentation disorder in which the functioning melanocytes of the epidermis are progressively destroyed.
It is now recognized as T cell mediated: cytotoxic CD8 cells directed at the melanocyte infiltrate the epidermis and produce interferon gamma.
It is a targeted attack: the immune system recognizes the melanocyte and goes only for it.
It shows up as sharply bordered, symptom-free macules and patches with no pigment or reduced pigment, on any skin surface; it affects roughly 0.5% to 2% of people worldwide.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingVitiligo, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated