Vitiligo

vitiligo

 or leukoderma

Skin disorder manifested by smooth, white spots on various parts of the body. Though the pigment-making cells of the skin, or melanocytes, are structurally intact, they have lost the ability to synthesize the pigment. The reason for the condition is unclear. Individuals with vitiligo (about 1% of the adult population) are usually in good general health, but vitiligo presents a cosmetic problem that can be serious in dark-skinned individuals. Normal skin color rarely returns, and there is no known cure.

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vitiligo [‚vid·əl‚ī·gō]

(medicine)

A skin disease characterized by an acquired ochromia in areas of various sizes and shapes.

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Vitiligo 

a pigmentation disorder manifested by the disappearance of normal pigment from patches of skin. The cause is unknown. It usually starts in youth (more often in females) with the appearance of white spots of different sizes and shapes on unchanged skin. The spots gradually enlarge and coalesce, forming extensive milky-white patches. The hairs on the affected areas turn gray. Foci of vitiligo may occur anywhere on the skin. The affected individuals experience no internal sensations. Treatment consists in using drugs that increase the sensitivity of skin to ultraviolet rays and then exposing the skin to these rays.