Common Name(s):
White Patches
Alternative Names & Classifications:
Vitiligo (CLINICAL)
Description
Cytotoxic T-cells selectively target and eradicate melanocytes, the specific cells completely responsible for giving the skin, hair, and eyes their natural color. It affects all racial and ethnic groups globally, though the visual contrast is most immediately apparent in individuals with darker skin tones. The depigmentation progresses entirely unpredictably, often starting on the hands or face before spreading outward.