![]() ![]() If you have non-segmental vitiligo, your immune system destroys the melanocyte skin cells that make melanin. Instead of attacking foreign cells, such as viruses, your immune system attacks your body's healthy cells and tissue. In autoimmune conditions, the immune system does not work properly. Non-segmental vitiligo (the most common type) is thought to be an autoimmune condition. This causes white patches to develop on your skin or hair. In vitiligo, there are not enough working melanocytes to produce enough melanin in your skin. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and it gives your skin its colour. Vitiligo is caused by the lack of a pigment called melanin in the skin. It usually starts earlier and affects around 3 in 10 children with vitiligo. ![]() Segmental vitiligo is less common than non-segmental vitiligo, although it's more common in children. In segmental vitiligo (also known as unilateral or localised vitiligo), the white patches only affect one area of your body. ![]() In rare cases, it's possible for vitiligo to affect your whole body. There's no way of predicting how much skin will be affected. Some people only get a few small, white patches, but others get bigger white patches that join up across large areas of their skin. The condition varies from person to person. Vitiligo does not cause discomfort to your skin, such as dryness, but the patches may occasionally be itchy. They're sometimes red and inflamed, or there's brownish discolouration (hyperpigmentation). The edges of the patch may be smooth or irregular. If there are blood vessels under the skin, the patch may be slightly pink, rather than white. The centre of a patch may be white, with paler skin around it. Vitiligo often starts as a pale patch of skin that gradually turns completely white. The lack of melanin in your skin can turn the hair in the affected area white or grey. It can also sometimes develop where there are hair roots, such as on your scalp. The areas of skin most commonly affected by vitiligo include: The pale areas of skin are more vulnerable to sunburn, so it's important to take extra care when in the sun and use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF). Vitiligo can affect any area of skin, but it commonly happens on the face, neck and hands, and in skin creases. It's caused by the lack of melanin, which is the pigment in skin. Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. ![]()
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