Vitiligo is a long-term skin disorder marked by the loss of pigment in regions of the skin. The damaged skin areas turn white and usually have sharp edges. The skin's hair may turn white as well. It's possible that the insides of the mouth and nose are also affected. Both sides of the body are usually affected.  The patches usually start on sun-exposed parts of the skin.  People with dark skin are more noticeable.  Vitiligo can cause psychological distress, and persons who have it are often stigmatized.

The colour of a person's eyes may indicate whether or not they are at risk for certain serious skin disorders. Vitiligo is less common in people with blue eyes. Melanoma may be less common in those with brown eyes. Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition characterised by the loss of colour in the skin and hair, resulting in uneven white areas. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Vitiligo patients are more likely to develop thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, among other autoimmune disorders. Even if they do not have vitiligo, close relatives of vitiligo sufferers are at a higher risk for these disorders.

Vitiligo does not have a known cure. Sunscreen and cosmetics are often all that is recommended for people with light skin.  Other possibilities for treatment include steroid creams or phototherapy to darken the bright areas. Alternatively, you could try using hydroquinone to brighten the unaffected skin. For those who do not respond to alternative treatments, there are a number of surgical possibilities. In most cases, combining therapies yields superior results. Counseling for emotional support could be beneficial.

Despite the fact that other hypotheses have been proposed as potential vitiligo triggers, research clearly show that immune system abnormalities are to blame. Vitiligo is regarded to be a complex disease in which both hereditary susceptibility and environmental factors play a role.

The protein tyrosinase is encoded by the TYR gene, which is not part of the immune system but is a melanocyte enzyme that catalyses melanin manufacture and is a prominent autoantigen in generalised vitiligo. According to the National Institutes of Health, some people assume that sunburns cause or worsen the illness, although there isn't much data to back this up.

Variations in genes related to the immune system and melanocytes have both been linked to the development of vitiligo. It may also be caused by the immune system attacking and destroying the skin's melanocytes. Approximately 36 distinct susceptibility loci for generalised vitiligo were discovered in a genome-wide association study.

In the early stages of this condition, UV light can be used to identify the condition and assess treatment efficiency. When skin is damaged by certain germs, fungi, or changes in pigmentation, it will change colour (fluoresce) using a Wood's light.

There is no cure for vitiligo, however there are various treatment alternatives.  The best evidence comes from the use of topical steroids and the use of UV radiation in conjunction with creams. Because of the increased risk of skin cancer, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom recommends that phototherapy be used only after other therapies have failed.