Vitiligo is a skin condition caused by progressive depigmentation (white patches), usually on the face, elbows, knees, hands, feet, genitals and upper thighs. Vitiligo is not uncommon, affecting between one-half and one percent of the population. The condition appears to be an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment.
There is also some correlation between vitiligo and three other autoimmune diseases: pernicious anemia, hyperthyroidism and Addison's disease.
Your provider at AllPhases Dermatology will tailor treatment to you. Potential treatments include:
- Phototherapy
- Topical corticosteroids and immunosuppressants