The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown. However, certain things, such as genetics or environmental factors, may play a role.
Vitiligo is primarily thought of as an autoimmune disorder that causes depigmentation or loss of skin color. Factors that may contribute to the development of vitiligo, including genetics, hormones, and certain environmental exposures. The disease affects the melanocytes in your skin. Melanocytes make the pigment called melanin, which gives your skin its color.
The exact cause of vitiligo is not known, but researchers are working on it. It’s thought that your immune system attacks the melanocytes, causing them to die off. The result is pale or white patches on your skin where there was once color.1
In some cases, vitiligo may be triggered by a stressful event or illness. For example, you may have noticed that one patch appeared after you got a bad sunburn or experienced a stressful period at work.
When you have vitiligo the absence of melanin lets UV rays through more easily, which makes your skin more susceptible to sunburn and other damaging effects from exposure to the sun.
The most common triggers for vitiligo include:
Autoimmune diseases: People with other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease and Addison disease, may be more likely to develop vitiligo.2
Sun exposure: UV rays damage the skin, making it more susceptible to the immune system’s attack on melanocytes (cells that produce pigment).
Stress: There is some evidence that psychological stress can trigger an autoimmune response in the body, which may lead to vitiligo.3
Trauma: In some cases, trauma or injury to the skin can trigger vitiligo. This may include burns from hot water or chemical exposure.
Genetics: It’s possible that vitiligo could be inherited from the genes from one or both parents.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, April 1). Vitiligo. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/vitiligo
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Vitiligo: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000831.htm
Silverberg JI, Silverberg NB. Vitiligo disease triggers: psychological stressors preceding the onset of disease. Cutis. 2015 May;95(5):255-62. PMID: 26057504.
