Vitiligo Facts for Kids

A young woman with vitiligo

Vitiligo (say: vit-uh-LIE-go) is a skin condition that makes your skin lose its natural color. This happens because special cells called melanocytes (say: mel-uh-NO-sites) either die or stop working. These cells are super important because they give your skin its color and help protect it from the sun's rays.

What Causes Vitiligo?
What Are the Signs of Vitiligo?
Can Vitiligo Be Cured?
Famous People with Vitiligo
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What Causes Vitiligo?

Scientists are still learning exactly why vitiligo happens. It seems to be a mix of things, including your immune system, your genetics (what you get from your parents), and things in your environment. Sometimes, a lot of stress can also affect your immune system, causing your body to start getting rid of the skin's color.

Vitiligo can start at any age, but it's less common for people over 20 to develop it. The light patches often show up on both sides of the body in a balanced way, and they might change shape over time.

What Are the Signs of Vitiligo?

Vitiligo can show up in a few ways:

Your skin becomes lighter because it's missing its natural pigments (colors).
You might see purple or golden-brown patches around your eyes, nose, and mouth.
The middle layer of your eye can become a bit puffy.
Your hair might start to turn gray earlier than usual.
Your skin can become more sensitive to the sun.

It's also important to know that vitiligo can sometimes make people feel sad or worried about their appearance.

Can Vitiligo Be Cured?

As of 2020, doctors don't fully understand what causes vitiligo, so there isn't a complete cure yet. However, there are ways to help manage its effects!

You can use makeup to cover the lighter patches on your skin.
It's a good idea to stay out of the sun to prevent tanning on the parts of your skin that still have color. This makes the vitiligo patches less noticeable.
Many skin doctors suggest using special creams, like corticosteroid cream.
In 2004, a big discovery was made! Doctors found a way to move healthy melanocytes to areas affected by vitiligo, which can help bring color back to the skin.

Famous People with Vitiligo

Some well-known people have had vitiligo:

The famous singer Michael Jackson shared in an interview in 1993 that he had vitiligo. Many people didn't believe him at first. After he passed away in 2009, an autopsy confirmed that he was telling the truth. It seems that when his vitiligo became very noticeable, he chose to have the rest of his skin's pigment removed to make his skin color more even.
Actor Jon Hamm developed vitiligo while filming the TV show Mad Men. Doctors believe it was caused by stress.