Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a disease characterized by the destruction of melanocytes in the skin, leading to the appearance of white patches due to a lack of melanin. It occurs worldwide and affects all ethnicities, with a global prevalence estimated between 0.1% and 2%. In China, the prevalence is approximately 0.56%. The incidence is lower in individuals with lighter skin tones and higher in those with darker skin tones. The main manifestation is the presence of localized, well-demarcated, irregularly shaped white patches of varying sizes on the skin, which are typically asymptomatic (non-itchy and painless). Hair within the white patches may also turn white. This condition primarily impacts the patient's appearance and quality of social life.