Vitiligo Types

Vitiligo is a common anomaly of the immune system of the body that is shown in white spots on the body, and there are no promenant means to halt this process are currently known. When we say treating vitiligo, it means eliminating the white spots weather root cause is addressed or not.The following are the possible treatment options for vitiligo skin disorder.


Vitiligo is catagorised in the following types:
1. Localized Vitiligo: Focal pattern vitiligo, Segmental pattern vitiligo
2.Generalized Vitiligo: Acrofacial vitiligo, Vulgaris Vitiligo, Universal vitiligo

Hereunder some detail of the above vitiligo types.

1. Localized Vitiligo

Focal Vitilgo:

One or more macules in one area but not clearly in a segmental distribution.
In general terms Focal Vitiligo is localized to a single area. If the patient has a single patch on hand, face or leg with no other occurrences of disease on other body parts.
Focal vitiligo if not active is generally more suited for localized treatments. The first option would be a topical medicine and if it does not work or is unacceptable due to other reasons, surgery and tattooing may be considered.

Segmental Pattern Vitiligo:

Where one or more macules are in a quasi-dermatomal pattern. In common mans language Here the patches are unilateral and asymmetric in distribution.
One or more patches are distributed within the same segment (anatomical distribution of the body) of the body. Segmental vitiligo limited to lips and finger tips is often called Lip-Tip Vitiligo. This is perhaps most difficult to treat. Lip-tip Vitiligo: These are restricted to the lips and distal part of fingers and toes .


2. Generalized Vitiligo

Acrofacial Vitiligo:

Affecting distal extremities and face. Some patches on face and some on other body parts, but not on all over the body.
In common terms, Acrofacial vitiligo is the term used for a very common distribution of this disease in which the disease is limited to parts away from the center of the body. This usually include face, head, hands and feet. It is usually associate with a lot emotional distress because the disease effects the exposed parts of the body, which is socialy very emparcing.

Vulgaris Vitiligo:

In vitiligo valgaris small patches of de-pigmentation are spread in a shower pattern admixed with normal skin in segmental or acrofacial pattern.
This is the most common type with bilaterally symmetrical lesions, predominantly distributed over face, neck, torso, fingers, toes, palms, soles and facial orifices.
Due to wide spread of disease it is generally difficult to treat all the parts equally and the treatment may take years. Also surgery may not be an option for patients of vitiligo vulgaris.

Universal Vitiligo:

Universal Vitiligo or Vitiligo totalis is the complete or nearly complete loss of skin pigment. The pigment is usually lost from entire body surface except a few small islands of normally pigmented skin. Permanent medical bleaching of the normal skin is usually the only option.

I am grateful to the adminstration of the site anti-vitiligo for give me the usefull info about the type of Vitiligo. I hope this post would be very useful for both patients and researcher of vitiligo.