About 1 percent to 2 percent of the world's population has vitiligo, a pigmentation disorder. Vitiligo causes white patches of skin and gray hair on the body. Although the causes of the disorder are unknown, researchers believe it may be linked to certain autoimmune diseases and a family history of the disorder.

When treating vitiligo, the goal is to restore the function of the skin and to restore color to the white patches. Treating this condition can take a long time -- it's not uncommon for treatment to last 6 to 18 months. Specific options can include:

Medications
Surgery
UVA light.

(To learn more about this skin disorder, including a detailed list of symptoms, click Vitiligo.)

Vitiligo Skin Disorder

Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD

Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD

Vitiligo and Who It Affects

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