Clinical Features:

• Disease of unknown etiology (possibly autoimmune) characterized by slowly progressive patchy depigmentation of the skin secondary to loss of melanocytes
• Most commonly begins on sun-exposed skin in a symmetrical distribution
• There is a family history of the disease in many cases.
• Associated with a plethora of other diseases, especially autoimmune diseases

Histologic Features:

• Complete absence of melanocytes and epidermal melanin
• Biopsies from the periphery of lesions may show chronic inflammation in the papillary dermis.
• Absence of melanocytes may be confirmed by MART-1 immunohistochemistry (S-100 also stains Langerhans cells, potentially yielding a false negative).
• Absence of melanin may be confirmed by a Fontana-Masson stain.

Cases associated with this book:

Vitiligo
Author: Stephen Lyle, M.D., Ph.D.

Conference: DermatopathologyConsultations.com Teaching Collection