Highlights & Basics
- Vitiligo is a common, acquired multifactorial skin disease. It is characterized by progressive depigmentation of the epidermis in circumscribed areas, typically without erythema or scaling.
- Age of onset is bimodal and involves a major genetic component.
- Multiple autoimmune disorders may be associated with vitiligo, most commonly autoimmune thyroiditis.
- Management with narrowband UV-B light and topical immunosuppressants can provide significant improvement in most cases.
- When repigmentation occurs, it typically occurs in a perifollicular pattern.
Quick Reference
History & Exam
Key Factors
Other Factors
Diagnostics Tests
Treatment Options
Definition
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathophysiology
Images
Focal vitiligo on wrist
Typical periocular vitiligo with poliosis of several eyelashes
Depigmentation of the hand
Typical distribution of vitiligo: periungual skin, knuckles, and wrist
Perianal and genital skin involvement in generalized vitiligo
Trichrome vitiligo. There are areas of hypopigmentation between normal skin and depigmented skin
Classic appearance of a halo nevus
Halo of depigmentation around congenital nevus in black child
Distribution patterns in vitiligo
Accentuation of clinical features by Wood lamp exam
Citations
Ortonne J-P. Vitiligo and other disorders of hypopigmentation. In: Bolognia JL, Jorrizzo JL, Rapini RP, eds. Dermatology. New York, NY: Mosby; 2008:913-38.
Taieb A, Picardo M. Clinical practice: vitiligo. N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 8;360(2):160-9.[Abstract]
Taieb A, Alomar A, Böhm M, et al; Vitiligo European Task Force (VETF); European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV); Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS). Guidelines for the management of vitiligo: the European Dermatology Forum consensus. Br J Dermatol. 2013 Jan;168(1):5-19.[Abstract][Full Text]
Whitton ME, Pinart M, Batchelor J, et al. Interventions for vitiligo. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Feb 24;(2):CD003263.[Abstract][Full Text]
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