Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Vitiligo?CausesWhere It Might AppearWhat It Looks LikeTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Vitiligo?
Causes
Where It Might Appear
What It Looks Like
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common symptom ofvitiligois the pale or white patches of skin that can develop all over the body, including the hair. Vitiligo also causes premature gray hair on the head, eyes, or face.
This article will explore what vitiligo is, what it looks like, and how it can affect your hair color.
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Vitiligois a chronicautoimmuneskin condition in which immune cells destroymelanocytes, the cells that producepigmentscalled melanin in your skin. When these cells are destroyed, a pale or white patch of skin can result.
This condition can appear at any age, and it can run in families.Vitiligo may be more noticeable in people withdarker skin tonesbecause of the contrast in the unaffected areas of skin compared to the vitiligo patches.
Vitiligo patches are most common on the:
Other Vitiligo SymptomsVitiligo can alter your appearance, causing discoloration on patches of your skin and hair. Unlike other chronic autoimmune conditions, there are rarely othersymptomsthat develop with vitiligo. In some cases, vitiligo patches can become itchy, butpainor other serious complications are unusual.
Other Vitiligo Symptoms
Vitiligo can alter your appearance, causing discoloration on patches of your skin and hair. Unlike other chronic autoimmune conditions, there are rarely othersymptomsthat develop with vitiligo. In some cases, vitiligo patches can become itchy, butpainor other serious complications are unusual.
Stages of Vitiligo
Vitiligo or Gray Hair?
Melanin isn’t just responsible for skin color, it also gives hair its color. All hair is naturally white, but melanin develops before birth togive hair its color. Different hair colors contain varying amounts and types of melanin.
Just as vitiligo can make your body attack the cells that produce melanin in your skin, it can also affect the melanin that gives your hair color. Some people with vitiligo may develop patches of white or gray hair where melanin has been lost.Vitiligo itself does not usually causehair loss.
If the pigment in your hair is changing in uniform patterns rather than isolated patches, it is likelygraying. Vitiligo tends to appear in patches.
Other conditionslikepoliosis, or white forelock, can cause gray or white patches in your hair. They are similar to vitiligo, with slight variations, and can occur with conditions like vitiligo andalopecia areata.Askin biopsy(removing a sample of skin for examination in a lab) may be needed todiagnosethe exact cause of your pigment loss.
Vitiligo and Hair LossVitiligo can cause hair to lose color, but it doesn’t cause hair loss. Instead, vitiligo often occurs alongside another inflammatory skin condition called alopecia areata.Roughly 15%–25% of people with vitiligo also have another autoimmune condition.Some autoimmune diseases appear together more than others. Vitiligo and alopecia areata share the same immune system pathways and are linked to an increased prevalence ofthyroid autoimmunityandatopic dermatitis.
Vitiligo and Hair Loss
Vitiligo can cause hair to lose color, but it doesn’t cause hair loss. Instead, vitiligo often occurs alongside another inflammatory skin condition called alopecia areata.Roughly 15%–25% of people with vitiligo also have another autoimmune condition.Some autoimmune diseases appear together more than others. Vitiligo and alopecia areata share the same immune system pathways and are linked to an increased prevalence ofthyroid autoimmunityandatopic dermatitis.
Vitiligo can cause hair to lose color, but it doesn’t cause hair loss. Instead, vitiligo often occurs alongside another inflammatory skin condition called alopecia areata.
Roughly 15%–25% of people with vitiligo also have another autoimmune condition.Some autoimmune diseases appear together more than others. Vitiligo and alopecia areata share the same immune system pathways and are linked to an increased prevalence ofthyroid autoimmunityandatopic dermatitis.
What Causes Vitiligo Hair?
While it’s primarily a chronic autoimmune disorder, several factors can lead to hair discoloration from vitiligo. Melanin of the hair or skin can be destroyed as a result of:
Some products are believed to trigger vitiligo, including:
Vitiligo can develop on various body parts, but it’s most common on the face, hands, feet, and genitals. Since these are all areas where hair can grow, you may experience hair pigment loss in these places.
Patches of skin discolored from vitiligo are often pale or milky white and usually have well-defined edges or borders. In some cases, these patches can also appear red or inflamed.When hair is affected, it loses pigment in certain sections, and you may see a discolored patch of skin beneath the roots of your hair.
Treatment for Vitiligo Hair
Vitiligo, like other chronic autoimmune conditions, can be difficult to treat. Sometreatmentsthat have shown to help people with vitiligo include:
When vitiligo affects hair color, dye can be used to camouflage these patches, but proceed with caution because, in some cases, hair dye can make vitiligo worse.
Summary
Vitiligo can change your appearance but rarely causes serious disease or complications. Lack of color in the skin or hair is the most common symptom. Other conditions that cause hair loss can occur alongside vitiligo, but vitiligo itself is not usually the cause. If you notice light patches of skin or hair, talk to your healthcare provider about ruling out other conditions that canchange your pigmentation.
A Word From Verywell
Some people embrace vitiligo hair, while others prefer to hide it if they can. Vitiligo is not harmful to your physical health, but it can impact your self-esteem. Talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options for vitiligo or ask about a referral to a mental health provider if this condition is negatively affecting your self-esteem.
Explaining Vitiligo to Others
Frequently Asked QuestionsVitiligo and poliosis can both cause discoloration of the hair, but they are not the same. These conditions may occur together, often in people with conditions like Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome, a rare disorder that can affect the skin, or other autoimmune conditions.Learn MoreWhat Is Poliosis?Hair can grow on vitiligo patches, but it may appear gray or white because of a lack of melanin.Learn MoreAn Overview of VitiligoVitiligo doesn’t typically cause hair loss, but it may occur with conditions that do, like alopecia areata.Learn MoreHow Alopecia Areata Is Treated
Vitiligo and poliosis can both cause discoloration of the hair, but they are not the same. These conditions may occur together, often in people with conditions like Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome, a rare disorder that can affect the skin, or other autoimmune conditions.Learn MoreWhat Is Poliosis?
Vitiligo and poliosis can both cause discoloration of the hair, but they are not the same. These conditions may occur together, often in people with conditions like Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome, a rare disorder that can affect the skin, or other autoimmune conditions.
Learn MoreWhat Is Poliosis?
Hair can grow on vitiligo patches, but it may appear gray or white because of a lack of melanin.Learn MoreAn Overview of Vitiligo
Hair can grow on vitiligo patches, but it may appear gray or white because of a lack of melanin.
Learn MoreAn Overview of Vitiligo
Vitiligo doesn’t typically cause hair loss, but it may occur with conditions that do, like alopecia areata.Learn MoreHow Alopecia Areata Is Treated
Vitiligo doesn’t typically cause hair loss, but it may occur with conditions that do, like alopecia areata.
Learn MoreHow Alopecia Areata Is Treated
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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MedlinePlus.Vitiligo.
Library of Congress.Why does hair turn gray?
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