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Vitiligo Information - Symptoms and Treatment
Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigment, resulting in irregular pale patches of skin. The precise etiology of the disease is complex and not fully understood. Vitiligo is a disorder related with the pigmentation in which melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin, the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose and genital and rectal areas), and the retina (inner layer of the eyeball) are destroyed. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. The hair that grows in areas affected by vitiligo usually turns white. There is some evidence suggesting it is caused by a combination of auto-immune, genetic and environmental factors. When a person first develops vitiligo, the disease usually starts as flat white spots on the hands or around the eyes. The white spots usually do not itch or hurt. These white spots or patches are commonly circular and occur in the same areas on both sides of the body, thus producing a mirror-image effect. The spots are more common over bony areas
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