In vitiligo, patches of skin lose their color. This occurs most commonly on the face, hands, armpits, and groin. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks skin cells that make the pigment melanin. The condition usually develops in early adulthood.
There is no cure for vitiligo, but a combination of light therapy and medication may help to repigment the areas. Camouflage cosmetics can be used to disguise smaller areas. Other possible treatments include topical corticosteroids, topical immunomodulators (drugs that act on the immune system), and the vitamin D derivative calipotriol. Despite treatment, the patches often continue to enlarge slowly.