Vitiligo is an auto-immune condition that results in flat areas of pigment loss. Fingers are a common location. This image displays areas of complete absence of skin pigment typical of vitiligo. This image displays lightening of the skin due to vitiligo, with pigment beginning to return around each hair follicle. This image displays the tops of feet affected with vitiligo. While the pigment loss from vitiligo is often subtle in lighter-skinned people, the loss of pigment from hairs in the eyelash area here accentuates the color loss. This image displays lighter skin with fairly sharp edges on the face typical of vitiligo. In people with darker skin, the pigment loss in vitiligo is easily apparent. The fingers are a frequent skin location for patches of vitiligo. This image displays islands of normal skin within the white skin affected by vitiligo.
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Vitiligo  A parent's guide to condition and treatment information

Picture of Vitiligo: Vitiligo is an auto-immune condition that results in flat areas of pigment loss. Fingers are a common location. Divider line
Vitiligo is an auto-immune condition that results in flat areas of pigment loss. Fingers are a common location.
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Overview
Vitiligo is a disease where the immune system turns against itself (autoimmune disease) where immune cells of the body attack the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells (melanocytes) to cause white patches on the skin, which may contain hairs that are white in color. It may be seen with other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, alopecia areata, diabetes mellitus, Addison disease, and myasthenia gravis. The way that vitiligo progresses varies greatly; it may remain in the area where it started (localized) or it may become more widespread.
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Last Modified: 22 Dec 2008
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