Vitiligo

[charlie59]

On behalf of my husband Pete I’d like to understand what actually causes vitiligo? Peter has sarcoidosis and COPD plus vitiligo which started some years ago.
Thank you
Carole

[Dr Emma Wedgeworth]

Hi Carole, Thanks for your question.
Vitiligo is what's known as an autoimmune disease. This mean that the body is essentially reacting to itself. In vitiligo, the body reacts to pigment producing cells within the skin (melanocytes) and stops them from producing pigment (melanin), so white patches occur within the skin. We know that some people are more likely to get vitiligo than others and this may be down to genetics. People with vitiligo are also more likely to have other autoimmune conditions like thyroid problems, hair loss (alopecia areata) or type 1 diabetes. Although sarcoidosis is also related to the immune system, it's not one of the conditions we commonly associate with vitiligo. I hope that helps. Best wishes, Emma

[charlie59]

Hi Emma,
Thank you so much for your informative reply. I really don’t understand why Peter has vitiligo. I know that sarcoidosis is not auto immune but inflammatory so no idea why he has it. Maybe the sarcoidosis has set something else in motion. I’ve no idea. He has very low antibodies so is very vulnerable.
I do appreciate you taking the time to reply. Thank you again.
Kind regards and best wishes,
Carole