Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a condition in which the skin loses its ability to make the pigment called melanin. It is considered a long term, autoimmune condition in which our body starts producing antibodies against its own pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. It presents as white/ depigmented patches anywhere on the skin- face, trunk, hands and feet. It can also affect our hair and lead to whitening of hair of scalp, eyelashes and eyebrows. It can occur at any age, but usually before the age of 30 years. The course of the disease is long and difficult to predict. Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In most cases, it progresses over time to larger areas of skin. Occasionally, the skin gets its colour back.