2. WHAT IS IT?
Vitiligo is a skin condition in which there is a loss of brown color
(pigment) from areas of skin, causing unusual white patches that feel
like normal skin.
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3. CAUSES
Vitiligo seems to occur when immune cells destroy the cells that
produce brown pigment. This destruction is due to an autoimmune
problem, but the cause is unknown.
Vitiligo may appear at any age. There is an increased rate of the
condition in some families. The condition affects about 1 out of every
100 people in the United States.
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4. TREATMENTS
Early treatment options include the following:
Phototherapy, a medical procedure in which a dermatologist carefully expose your skins to
ultraviolet light.
Medicines applied to the skin, such as:
Corticosteroid creams or ointments
Immunosuppressant creams or ointments
Skin may be moved from normal skin areas and placed onto areas where there is pigment loss.
Several cover-up makeups or skin dyes can mask Vitiligo.
In extreme cases when most of the body is affected, the remaining skin that still has pigment
may be depigmented.
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