vitiligo

2 8.8

Patches of skin that lose colour and become lighter

noun
/ˌvɪtɪˈlaɪɡoʊ/

Specialized

: vitiligo

Half the patients first recognize vitiligo before 20 years of age, when it often appears in an area of minor injury or sunburn.
cause of vitiligo
patients with vitiligo

So my skin I have something called vitiligo.

Examples

For me, it was vitiligo, but it could be any number of autoimmune diseases.

Blog text (31)
Before any of this thyroid stuff began, I got vitiligo (loss of pigment), which is an autoimmune disease.

Blog text (31)
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown.

Academic text (2007)
While vitiligo is a purely cosmetic concern, it is disfiguring and may be psychologically traumatic.

Academic text (2007)
Vitiligo vulgaris is a skin condition characterized by patches of skin losing their pigmentation due to the destruction of the pigment-producing melanocytes.

Academic text (2007)
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown.
Some people with vitiligo lighten their skin deliberately to mask the effects of the disease.
While vitiligo is a purely cosmetic concern, it is disfiguring and may be psychologically traumatic.

Synonyms

depigmentation

vsvitiligo

Specialized

1 8.2

Loss of colour in the skin or hair that makes them look lighter

is patchy loss of pigment often bordered by darker skin

hypopigmentation

vsvitiligo

Specialized

1 8.8

A part of the skin that is lighter than normal because it has less color

is loss of pigment in patches rather than only lighter tone

achromasia

vsvitiligo

Specialized

1 9.9

An unusual lack of color in the skin that makes it look very pale

is specific patchy pigment loss not general fading from injury or stress

How Pale

vitiligo

Specialized

2 8.8

pityriasis alba

Specialized

9.1

Surface Forms

vitiligo singular

vitiligos plural

Etymology

Vitiligo comes from the Latin word vitium, which means 'fault' or 'blemish'. So vitiligo names a skin condition where pale patches look like small 'blemishes', which helps you remember what it means.