Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Dec 17;16(12):e75859.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.75859. eCollection 2024 Dec.

The Pathogenesis and Management of Vitiligo

Lama M Albelowi  1 , Rema M Alhazmi  1 , Sara Ibrahim  2
Affiliations
Review

The Pathogenesis and Management of Vitiligo

Lama M Albelowi et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Vitiligo is a common autoimmune disease that progressively destroys melanocytes in the skin, resulting in the appearance of patchy depigmentation. The aim of this review is to increase awareness towards vitiligo by providing insight on the pathogenesis and management options. Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary skin disease, which can appear with one or a few macules. Based on the distribution pattern, vitiligo is classified into three different types: segmental, non-segmental, and unclassified. Oxidative stress, autoimmunity, and genetic factors are the main theories contributing to the cause of vitiligo, although the exact cause remains unknown. Various management methods depend on the type, severity, and progression of the disease. This dermatological condition is prevalent globally and shows a slightly higher incidence in females. Multiple hypotheses explain the complex mechanisms of vitiligo, with current research focusing on the roles of oxidative stress, genetic predisposition, and autoimmune responses in its development. Effective treatments include topical corticosteroids and phototherapy.

Keywords: environmental factors; immune repose; management; oxidative stress; pathogenesis; skin; vitiligo.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

References

    1. Ahmed jan N, Masood S. Treasure Island, USA: StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Vitiligo. - PubMed
    1. The epidemiology of vitiligo. Silverberg NB. Curr Derm Rep. 2015;4:36–43.
    1. Beyond traditional treatment: the importance of psychosocial therapy in vitiligo. Rzepecki AK, McLellan BN, Elbuluk N. https://europepmc.org/article/med/29879259. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17:688–691. - PubMed
    1. Consensus on the treatment of vitiligo - Brazilian Society of Dermatology. Dellatorre G, Antelo DA, Bedrikow RB, Cestari TF, Follador I, Ramos DG, Silva de Castro CC. An Bras Dermatol. 2020;95:70–82. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Vitiligo-epidemiological study of 4134 patients at the National Center for Vitiligo and Psoriasis in Central Saudi Arabia. Alissa A, Al Eisa A, Huma R, Mulekar S. https://europepmc.org/article/med/22159386#impact. Saudi Med J. 2011;32:1291–1296. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources