Vitiligo (Skin Pigment Disorders)

Vitiligo is the patchy loss of your skin’s natural color. This occurs when melanin, the pigment that determines your skin’s color, is damaged or destroyed. Although vitiligo can negatively impact your self-esteem, it is physically harmless. Vitiligo affects about 2 percent of Americans and develops in people of all skin colors; however, if you have dark skin, the contrast between the dark skin and the lighter areas of color loss are more noticeable. Moreover, this condition is often unpredictable. You may personally experience only small patches of pigment loss, but for others, the condition may be much more widespread. It can be temporary for some and permanent for others. In extreme cases, it can alter hair or eye color and/or develop inside the mouth.