National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Vitiligo is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Vitiligo
Vitiligo causes white patches on your skin. It can also affect your eyes, mouth and nose. It occurs when the cells that give your skin its color are destroyed. No one knows what destroys them. It is more common in people with autoimmune diseases, and it might run in families. It usually starts before age 40.
The white patches are more common where your skin is exposed to the sun. In some cases, the patches spread. Vitiligo can cause your hair to gray early. If you have dark skin, you may lose color inside your mouth.
Using sunscreen will help protect your skin, and cosmetics can cover up the patches. Treatments for vitiligo include medicines, light therapy and surgery. Not every treatment is right for everyone. Many have side effects. Some take a long time. Some do not always work.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
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Start Here
- Vitiligo(American Academy of Dermatology)
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What Is Vitiligo?
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Vitiligo: Medical Screening(American Vitiligo Research Foundation)
- Vitiligo: Signs and Symptoms(American Academy of Dermatology)
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Treatment
- Vitiligo Treatments(American Vitiligo Research Foundation)
- Vitiligo: Diagnosis, Treatment and Outcome(American Academy of Dermatology)
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Disease Management
- Self Care and Sun Safety(American Vitiligo Research Foundation)
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Related Issues
- Camouflage Cosmetics(Skin Cancer Foundation)
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Pictures & Photographs
- Vitiligo(Logical Images)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vitiligo(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vitiligo
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Vitiligo(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Vitiligo
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- Find a Dermatologic Surgeon(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- Find a Dermatologist(American Academy of Dermatology)
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Organizations
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Children
- Vitiligo (For Parents)(Nemours Foundation)
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Patient Handouts
- Vitiligo
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
