Vitiligo Update
Vitiligo can affect quality of life, self-esteem, marriage, and employment, especially in darker-skinned individuals and in certain cultures because of confusion with leprosy and other contagious skin diseases.
June 1, 2009|Dermatology News
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Rebat M. Halder, MD, and Johnathan L. Chappell, MD
Vitiligo is an acquired dyschromia of the skin in which there is a loss of epidermal melanocytes. The prevalence of vitiligo is approximately 1% in the United States and 0.1-2% worldwide. The exact pathogenesis of vitiligo remains elusive and is likely multifactorial. After completing this update, participants should be able to discuss the epidemiology of vitiligo and summarize the proposed mechanisms for development of this disease. In addition, they should be able to discuss physical findings, approach to the patient, and some of the therapeutic modalities for this disorder.
*For a PDF of the full article, click on the link to the left of this introduction.
