Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized
by portions of the skin losing their pigment.
It occurs when skin pigment cells die or are
unable to function. Aside from cases of
contact with certain chemicals,[1] the cause
of vitiligo is unknown. Research suggests
vitiligo may arise from autoimmune, genetic
, oxidative stress, neural, or viral causes.[2]
Vitiligo is typically classified into two main
categories: segmental and non-segmental
vitiligo. Half of those affected show the
disorder before age 20, though
most develop it before age 40.[3]
The global percentage of people affected
with vitiligo is less than 1%,[4] with some
populations averaging 2–3% and rarely as
high as 16%.[5] Autoimmune diseases
such as Addison's disease, Hashimoto's
thyroiditis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus
tend to occur more often in people who have vitiligo. There is no known cure for vitiligo but many treatment options are available including topicals
teroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and phototherapy.
Classification attempts to quantify vitiligo have been analyzed as being somewhat inconsistent,[6] while recent consensus have agreed to a system of segmental vitiligo (SV) and non-segmental vitiligo (NSV). NSV is the most common type of vitiligo.[7]
