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Vitiligo
Osmosis
Disease or Syndrome
vitiligo Audio
vit·i·li·go [ vit-l-ahy-goh, -ee-goh ]
Subclass of:
Hypopigmentation disorder
Definitions related to vitiligo:
  • A disorder consisting of areas of macular depigmentation, commonly on extensor aspects of extremities, on the face or neck, and in skin folds. Age of onset is often in young adulthood and the condition tends to progress gradually with lesions enlarging and extending until a quiescent state is reached.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • Generalized well circumscribed patches of leukoderma that are generally distributed over symmetric body locations and is due to autoimmune destruction of melanocytes.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Usually progressive, chronic pigmentary anomaly of the skin manifested by depigmented white patches that may be surrounded by a hyperpigmented border.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Vitiligo causes white patches on your skin. It can also affect your eyes, mouth, and nose. It occurs when the cells that give your skin its color are destroyed. No one knows what destroys them. It is more common in people with autoimmune diseases, and it might run in families. It usually starts before age 40. The white patches are more common where your skin is exposed to the sun. In some cases, the patches spread. Vitiligo can cause your hair to gray early. If you have dark skin, you may lose color inside your mouth. Using sunscreen will help protect your skin, and cosmetics can cover up the patches. Treatments for vitiligo include medicines, light therapy, and surgery. Not every treatment is right for everyone. Many have side effects. Some take a long time. Some do not always work. NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
    MedlinePlus
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • Vitiligo is a loss of skin melanocytes that causes areas of skin depigmentation of varying sizes. Cause is unknown, but genetic and autoimmune factors are likely. Diagnosis is usually clear based on skin examination. Common treatments include topical corticosteroids (often combined with calcipotriene), calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus...
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
  • Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary disorder of the skin and mucous membranes, and it is characterized by circumscribed depigmented macules and patches. Vitiligo is a progressive disorder in which some or all of the melanocytes in the affected skin are selectively destroyed.
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2019
  • Vitiligo (vit-ih-LIE-go) is a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches. The discolored areas usually get bigger with time. The condition can affect the skin on any part of the body. It can also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.
    Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
  • Vitiligo is a relatively common pigmentation disorder in which the skin's pigment-making cells (melanocytes) are lost or destroyed. As a result, well-defined white patches appear on the skin. Patches may occur on one section or all over the body and may join together (coalesce). Some people also have loss of pigment in patches of hair on...
    NIH Genetic and Rare Diseases
    National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
  • Vitiligo is an acquired loss of melanocytes in circumscribed areas of the epidermis, resulting in complete depigmentation of affected skin. The extent of the disease ranges from limited, focal disease to almost complete (universal) pigment loss.
    Epocrates
    Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
  • Vitiligo, patchy loss of melanin pigment from the skin. Though the pigment-making cells of the skin, or melanocytes, are structurally intact, they have lost the ability to synthesize the pigment. The reason for this condition is unclear; research suggests that it may be an autoimmune condition....
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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