Leucoderma (Vitiligo) is a pigmentation disorder 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) 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.
The cause of Vitiligo is not known, but doctors and researchers have several different theories. One theory is that people develop antibodies that destroy the melanocytes in their own bodies. Another theory is that melanocytes destroy themselves. Finally, some people have reported that a single event such as sunburn or emotional distress triggered Vitiligo; however, these events have not been scientifically proven to cause Vitiligo.
Vitiligo seems to be more common in people with certain autoimmune diseases (diseases in which a person's immune system reacts against the body's own organs or tissues). These autoimmune diseases include hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), adrenocortical insufficiency (the adrenal gland does not produce enough of the hormone called corticosteroid), alopecia areata (patches of baldness), and pernicious anemia (a low level of red blood cells caused by failure of the body to absorb vitamin B-12). However, most people with Vitiligo have no other autoimmune disease. Vitiligo may also be hereditary, that is, it can run in families. Children whose parents have the disorder are more likely to develop Vitiligo. However, most children will not get Vitiligo even if a parent has it, and most people with Vitiligo do not have a family history of the disorder.
