Epidemiology
Peak incidence: 10–30 years
Etiology
- Vitiligo is characterized by an absence of melanocytes in the depigmented lesions.
- Maybe due to autoimmune destruction of melanocytes
Pathophysiology
Clinical features
- Irregular, well-demarcated, depigmented (white) macules or patches
- Unilateral or bilateral distribution, with stable or slowly progressive lesions
- Leukotrichia: depigmented hair; an indicator of poor prognosis
- Coexisting autoimmune diseases (∼ 20% of patients)
- Most common: Hashimoto thyroiditis, Graves disease
- Other disorders: type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, alopecia areata, pernicious anemia, Addison disease