Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. It’s caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin.

Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases..

Vitiligo affects people of all skin types, but it may be more noticeable in people with darker skin. The condition is not life-threatening or contagious. It can be stressful or make you feel bad about yourself.

Treatment for vitiligo may restore color to the affected skin. But it does not prevent continued loss of skin color or a recurrence.

Symptoms

The main sign of vitiligo is patchy loss of skin color. Usually, the discoloration first shows on sun-exposed areas, such as the hands, feet, arms, face and lips.

Vitiligo signs include:

• Patchy loss of skin color
• Premature whitening or graying of the hair on your scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
• Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of your mouth and nose (mucous membranes)
• Loss of or change in color of the inner layer of the eyeball (retina)

When to see a doctor?

Consult Dermatologist if areas of skin, hair or eyes lose coloring. Vitiligo treatment may help to stop or slow the discoloring process and return some color to your skin.

Complications

People with vitiligo may be at increased risk of:

• Social or psychological distress
• Sunburn and skin cancer
• Eye problems, such as inflammation of the iris (iritis)
• Hearing loss