DESCRIPTIVE OVERVIEW OF VITILIGO

Introduction: Vitiligo is an acquired idiopathic autoimmune disorder showing non regular depigmentation of the skin, hair, or both. It may show with amelanotic, milky-white, firmly demarcated macules patches normal skin. Vitiligo, a common depigmenting skin disorder, prevalence about 0.5-2% worldwide. Among therapies commonly used as treatment are systemic glucocorticoids and phototherapy. Objective: to detail current information related vitiligo, epidemiology, etiology, presentation, differential diagnosis treatments. Methodology: total 30 articles were analyzed in this review, including review original articles, well clinical cases, which 21 bibliographies because other not relevant study. The sources PubMed, Google Scholar Cochrane; terms search for Spanish, Portuguese English were: depigmenting, melanocytes. Results: present all ethnic groups, types without predilection. profound disease genetic risk between 75% 83%, remaining percentage being due environmental factors. Conclusions: around adults children. multifactorial polygenic inheritance pattern, so individual contribution each variant susceptibility relatively minimal. that can be primary, circumscribed generalized mucous membranes, linked melanocyte self-destruction, factors, autoimmunity, oxidative stress cytokines. detailed molecular mechanisms still need further investigation. Diagnosis usually clinical, by finding acquired, non-squamous, chalky-white, chalky-white maccules distinct margins typical distribution. utmost importance purpose Woods lamp facilitate diagnosis. presents 2 segmental non-segmental types. As development understanding mechanism improves, will become more precise. Treatment should individualized take into account location, presentation presence activity. KEY WORDS: melanocytes, macules, hypopigmented.