Vitiligo and other hypopigmentation disorders in children and adolescents

Abstract

Th e loss of pigment, either partial (hypopigmentation) or complete (depigmentation), can have a major psychological impact on patients. Hypopigmentation disorders, congenital and acquired, are very numerous, and many of them are rarely seen. Th is paper provides an overview of the most common hypopigmentation disorders in children and adolescents, stressing the importance of vitiligo and autoimmune disorders in patients. Vitiligo is an acquired disease, possibly of autoimmune nature, sometimes with a clear hereditary component, which is characterized by progressive, clearly defi ned, milky white spots on the skin and/or mucous membranes. In about 50% of patients vitiligo occurs before 20 years of age. Th e clinical picture of vitiligo in children and adolescents is similar to adults, but there are some differences in the epidemiology, their associations with other endocrine and/or autoimmune diseases and treatment of vitiligo in children compared to adult patients.

The effect of Medicago sativa extract and light on skin hypopigmentation disorders in C57/BL6 mice

“…Loss of pigment can be either partial (hypopigmentation), complete (depigmentation), congenital, or acquired. Congenital hypopigmentation usually results from mutations of various genes that are responsible for the processes of development of melanoblasts which differentiate into mature pigment‐producing melanocytes 1 . Although the majority of hypopigmented disorders are not infectious and serious, hypopigmentation and depigmentation cause psychological issues for the patients 1 .…”

“…Congenital hypopigmentation usually results from mutations of various genes that are responsible for the processes of development of melanoblasts which differentiate into mature pigment‐producing melanocytes 1 . Although the majority of hypopigmented disorders are not infectious and serious, hypopigmentation and depigmentation cause psychological issues for the patients 1 . Various skin diseases are accompanied by loss of pigments such as Vitiligo which is a skin disorder characterized by a lack of melanocytes, and leads to pigment dilution in the affected areas of the skin.…”