Vitiligo

what is vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a condition in which white patches develop on the skin. Any location on the body can be affected, and most people with vitiligo have white patches on many areas. The skin doesn’t have its characteristic color because it has lost its melanin.

Often pigment is lost quickly on several areas of the skin. After the white patches appear, they may stay the same for a while, but later on, they might get bigger. There may be cycles of pigment loss and stability.

Vitiligo commonly affects:

• Body folds
• Places that have been injured in the past
• Areas exposed to sun
• Around moles
• Around body openings
• Tissues that line your nose and mouth
• It can also affect eyelids and hair.

types of vitiligo:

• Generalized is the most common type. This is when discolored patches show up all over the body.
• Segmental is when the vitiligo is confined to one area of the body, like face or hands.
• Focal happens when the discoloration stays in one spot and doesn’t spread.
• Trichrome is when there is an area of heavy discoloration, followed by an area of lighter discoloration, followed by regular-color skin.
• Universal is a rare type. Which means at least 80% of the skin is discolored.