10 Vitiligo Symptoms

By lynda

Reviewed: dr. vanta

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. 'Vitiligo - Symptoms and Causes.' Mayo Clinic, 10 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitiligo/symptoms-causes/syc-20355912
• 2. 'Vitiligo.' Nhs.uk, 20 Oct. 2017, www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitiligo
• 3. 'Can Hair Dye Cause Vitiligo or Make It Worse?' Living Dappled, 21 Mar. 2021, livingdappled.com/can-hair-dye-cause-vitiligo-or-make-it-worse
• 4. 'Oral Manifestations of Vitiligo.' PubMed Central, Jan. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4318026
• 5. 'Vitiligo: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Recovery.' Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12419-vitiligo
• 6. 'What is the Psychological and Social Effect of Vitiligo?'Medscape, 19 Oct. 2020, www.medscape.com/answers/1068962-87954
• 7. 'The Problems in Sexual Functions of Vitiligo and Chronic Urticaria Patients.' ResearchGate, 1 Jan. 2007, www.researchgate.net/publication/6638246
• 8. Vitiligo: Patient Stories, Self-esteem, and the Psychological Burden of Disease.' PubMed Central, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986114

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Vitiligo is a progressive depigmentation of the skin that results in white patches on the body. It affects approximately 1 percent of the population. A diagnosis may be made based on a patient's medical history and a physical examination of the skin. However, a skin biopsy and blood tests may be required for confirmation.¹‘Vitiligo - Symptoms and Causes.’ Mayo Clinic, 10 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitiligo/symptoms-causes/syc-20355912

Vitiligo is a chronic condition, with management predominantly focused on alleviating the symptoms. Unfortunately, there's no known cure, and its progression and severity are unpredictable. While the cause of vitiligo is unknown, autoimmune disease, a family history of autoimmune disease and stress-triggered events are common factors.

Patchy Depigmentation

Melanocytes produce melanin, the pigment that colors skin cells and hair. When melanocytes become dysfunctional, patches of the skin lose color, resulting in colorless white patches.²‘Vitiligo.’ Nhs.uk, 20 Oct. 2017, www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitiligo The colorless patches can be distributed over the entire body or focused in one area, with all skin types affected equally.

The patches are typically white in the middle, with paler skin around the outside. Blood vessels can give patches a reddish tinge, and a brown discoloration may appear around the edges. Areas likely to be affected include the fingers, wrists, armpits, groin and genitals. The disfiguring nature of vitiligo frequently leads to psychological symptoms.